I'm cursed this year, it seems. Finally recovered from my wisdom teeth, only to get a nasty ingrown toenail. Started looking nasty, so went in to get it looked at. Had to get it lanced and drained, then drive myself home because I went solo, not expecting more than some antibiotics or something. Spent the next two days limping around with a massive bandage on my toe. Finally walking again, but the silver nitrate residue makes it look like my toe is dying.
But on the bright side, chapter!
"You're lucky the boy didn't bleed to death," the nurse lectured, attention fully on Adam but derision directed at the sheriff who brought him in. So far, he'd gotten nothing but care and concern from Nurse Marigold - or Mari, as she'd adamantly insisted he call her. Not Mary. Apparently there was a difference, but he couldn't figure it out. "Especially with a full ride back like that."
"You know I checked for that before we set off. Wouldn't do me much good to save him if I just let him bleed out afterwards." Sheriff Taylor took exception to Mari's berating, insisting he'd done the right thing. "Couldn't risk waiting around for more of those beasts to show."
"You could've at least let him ride with you instead of by himself."
"Girl didn't know how to ride," Sheriff Taylor explained. "Besides, not like riding with me would've been less bumpy."
He had a point there, Adam had to admit, though Adam knew the man had other reasons. Sure, Nila wouldn't have dared run off on her own, but by taking Nila with him, Sheriff Taylor gave Adam the chance to decide his own fate. It was a fool's choice at best, since abandoning Nila and trying to escape when both he and his horse were injured wouldn't last long, but the choice was still there. Adam had to choose to return, which hurt all the more, even if the sheriff likely saw it as a kindness. Letting him control his own fate was all well and good, except when you were given only terrible options. Now, whatever happened would be self-inflicted.
"Ow!"
Well, whatever happened after Nurse Mari finished with him. Adam instinctively pulled away from her touch, forcing her to grip his shoulder tightly and hold him in place.
"Careful!" Nila demanded, earning a stern enough look from Mari to have her backing away.
"That was careful. Better this than infection set in and kill him. But if you'd rather do it, be my guest." Mari waited, but when Nila didn't rise to the bait, she rolled her eyes and went back to work. "That's what I thought. One more outburst from you and I'll have you removed. Understood?" Nila nodded frantically, scared to so much as make a peep and earn a one-way ticket out the door. "Good. You can stay as long as you don't interfere. Otherwise, I'll have you escorted out of my building by security, even if you are his sister."
The way she dragged out the last word, eyes drilling into an unflinching Sheriff Taylor, made it clear just how much stock she put in their lie. The sheriff had told them to follow his lead when they arrived, saying he'd make sure Nila could stay with Adam but not giving any details. When he'd immediately introduced her as his sister, they'd both been too confused to object.
"Hold still. I know it hurts, but I've gotta clean these cuts out before infection sets in." Adam nearly sucked all the air out of the room as she carefully applied some sort of stinging cleanser. Considering the length of the wounds across his back, she had to use a lot. "After that, we'll stitch you up and see what else the good sheriff missed."
He already knew most of what she'd find. A couple of broken fingers. Some ribs that were bruised, if not broken. And a host of bruises, cuts, and scrapes that dotted his body but wouldn't be worth bothering with. After all, if she bandaged all his injuries, he'd come out looking like a mummy.
Their ride back had been neither quick nor pleasant. They'd hurried as much as they could, but Eve clearly wasn't herself, needing to stop for rest more often. He needed more stops, too. The simple motion of riding, even on the highway, still jostled him enough to remind him how close he'd come to death. Rather than ride all the way to the halfway rest stop, they'd made at least a half dozen stops along the way.
They spied the sun long before the walls of Katai, making it back before lunch but long after when they should've returned. Sheriff Taylor dragged him straight to the town hospital, promising a rather irate receptionist that he'd take the horses back to the stable as soon as he saw to Adam's health. Thankfully, there weren't many patients today, and with his injuries, they'd been hurried back to a treatment room within minutes.
"Lucky I found you and not Deputy Barnes," Sheriff Taylor laughed. "The boy talks a big game, but he's never had to face a Grimm before, let alone two. Guess that means you're more experienced than our deputy now."
"How did you find us?" Nila asked. Adam could admit to being curious as well, even if his attention was split between the answer and Mari stitching up his back.
Sheriff Taylor shrugged. "Easy. I guessed."
"You guessed?"
"Well, an educated guess, I guess." He laughed at the repetitive words. "Shizukana seemed the obvious choice. A little too obvious." So he figured that part out, eh? Adam hadn't taken the sheriff for a genius, exactly, but he clearly thought things through. "Plus, that way's safer. Less distance between towns, so I sent Barnes that way, and I went yours. Met a caravan along the way that said they'd seen you earlier, so I knew I was on the right track."
"So what now?" Adam knew what came next, but he had to hope he was wrong.
"Now, you recover," Nurse Mari interrupted, finishing off his stitches and helping him sit up. The tightness in his back was an unwelcome sensation, but she assured him it would get better. "Arms out, unless you want them tied to your sides."
Adam did as ordered, sitting impatiently as she began to wrap a long bandage over his torso over and over, looping it over his shoulder a few times as well for support. Although it felt awful at first, once he got used to it, the pressure helped ease his sides. According to Mari, he was lucky. Only a pair of bruised ribs. Nothing broken except his fingers.
And his spirit.
"After this, it's back to the orphanage." Sheriff Taylor's words brought reality crashing back down on Adam. "I'll head there and fetch Madam de Thom once we're done here. Want to go over some stuff with you first, though."
Adam didn't respond, knowing he had little choice in the matter. Not like he had anywhere to go right now. He wouldn't even make it out of the room if he tried, let alone another village. As much as he wanted to fight, he knew the outcome was inevitable. If anything, trying again now would only make things worse.
Once Nurse Mari finished with him, adding a splint to his discolored, broken fingers for good measure, she gave him "something for the pain" and left. That something, administered through such a tiny needle, hurt far worse than he'd imagined. He trusted it would pay off in time, but he could feel whatever it was burning in his arm for a minute before leaving his limb stiff and sore, especially around the injection site. He had to trust it would be better in the long run, but right now, he had to wonder if it was really worth it.
Mari gave him some instructions on when to return for a check-up and a long list of things he shouldn't do before saying she had other patients to tend to and clearing him to leave whenever Madam de Thom arrived. Nila lingered awkwardly now that the main distraction was gone, leaving her stuck between Adam and Sheriff Taylor.
"Sooo…"
Sheriff Taylor peeked his head out the door, making sure Nurse Mari had well and truly gone. His concern only served to worry Adam more, especially when he asked, "You mind waiting outside for a minute, Nila?"
"Outside?" Nila seemed as unenthused by the request as Adam.
"Just out in the hall," Sheriff Taylor specified. "Need to talk to your boyfriend here for a minute. Nothin' bad," he hastily added. "Just have to go over a few details with him. Gotta fill out my report later. That's all."
Then why separate them? If he just wanted details of what happened, wouldn't it be better to ask both of them at once? Did he expect Adam to lie about certain details? Would he ask Nila the same questions and compare for inconsistencies? That kind of behavior spoke of mistrust. The kind a sheriff would have for a suspect, not a victim.
Despite the rising tension Adam felt, he turned to Nila and assured her. "I'll be fine. I could use some water, though."
"I'll find some!" Nila quickly assured him. She hesitated by his bed, debating about a parting kiss before squeezing his arm and darting away.
"Nice girl you've got there."
"She's great," Adam answered flatly, waiting for whatever probing questions Sheriff Taylor had planned for him.
"You feeling okay? Not too sore?"
"Good enough."
"You took it like a champ. Nurse Mari sure did a number on you."
"Nothing compared to the Beowolf."
Adam could tell his short, clipped answers weren't what Sheriff Taylor was hoping for. To be fair, it wasn't Adam's job to get the conversation started. If the sheriff planned to interrogate him, then so be it. No use beating around the bush. Besides, Adam didn't exactly like being alone with an adult in a closed room. He'd had more than enough bad experiences with that already, so Sheriff Taylor would have to forgive his uneasiness.
"You don't like me very much, do ya?" It seemed the time for pleasantries had finally ended. Good. Adam just wanted to get…whatever this was, over with.
Adam chose his words carefully. "It's not that. It's just-"
"-you don't trust easy?" Sheriff Taylor guessed easily enough. "Even after I saved you and your girl?"
He'd made the mistake of trusting before, only to be betrayed in the worst way possible. Considering the man before him would be the one returning him to that vile woman, Adam wasn't feeling especially generous today.
"Well, guess there's nothin' I can do about that. In that case, how about you answer a few questions for me?"
"What kind of questions?" Adam doubted the sheriff just wanted to get to know him better. Whatever was on his mind, Adam was wary of the traps that each word might hide.
"About your little adventure yesterday." As if anything else mattered at the moment. "Madam de Thom told me some stuff, but I'd rather hear what you have to say."
A chance to defend himself sounded nice, but what could he say? What possible reason could he give for them to run off into the woods and risk themselves against the Grimm? And even if he gave a good reason, would it matter? He already said they were going back to the orphanage. What could he possibly tell the sheriff?
The truth? As if he'd believe it. No one'll believe you, a haunting voice whispered. Why would they take the word of a runaway kid over an adult? They wouldn't. Not in a million years. He'd just get in even more trouble.
Adam's silence didn't seem to be what Sheriff Taylor had hoped for. The older man sat down with a sigh. "You and your girl take off with nothing but a knife, some lien, and that horse of yours. What exactly were you hoping would happen?"
That they'd get as far away from Katai - from Alyssa - as possible. After that, he had no idea really, but it couldn't be worse than staying. Instead, Adam shrugged. "I dunno."
"Just felt like trying your chances on the open road?" If that was the case, Adam must've been the most reckless kid in history. "Sure it wasn't some romantic adventure between two starstruck lovers?"
"Sure. That." Not the most convincing lie, but he wasn't about to try the truth, so who cared?
"Right." Sheriff Taylor recognized a lost cause and moved on. "Whatever your reason, the part I don't get is why. You seem like a smart kid. Smart enough to know how little chance you stood of making it. And to risk your girl too? Must've been pretty important to drive you that far."
He had no idea. Getting away wasn't a matter of life or death. It was more than that. Part of him wondered if coming back alive had been the worse option, but knowing what it would've done to Nila made it unthinkable.
"Obviously not running from a breakup, so let's see if I can figure it out. Too much work?" Adam shook his head. "Food not good enough?" Another silent denial. "Bed not soft enough?"
As quick as Sheriff Taylor figured everything else out, his guesses now were horrible. Even if any of that was true, striking out on their own would have just made it worse. And Adam was hardly petty enough to run away over a minor grievance.
"Alright, one more try." Adam rolled his eyes, but there was hardly anything he could do. "Someone wasn't treating you right. Taking advantage of you, even." Adam froze. "Maybe a certain someone a little older than you with golden hair and a worrying interest in young boys?"
Adam's lack of response answered for him.
"Still no answer?" Sheriff Taylor's smile vanished as he leaned forward, his voice a little softer. "You can tell me, Adam. All I need is for you to tell me what's going on."
Would it really be that easy? He'll never believe you. But Sheriff Taylor had all but said it for him. Surely he had his suspicions. Or he's trying to trick you. Seeing if you'll betray me. Nothing will come of it. But this was the sheriff! If anyone could help him, surely the man in charge of arresting criminals could, right? All he had to do was tell him all the things Alyssa had done.
"Tell me everything, and I'll do my best to help."
You hear that? His best. What if his best wasn't good enough? If Alyssa found out he'd said something…
I still have Erik, and soon, I'll have you and Nila back. It won't be just you that pays for this.
He knew he'd be in trouble for running away in the first place. Alyssa would make that painfully clear. But if he tried to get her in trouble and failed, she might not limit her vengeance to him. He dreaded to imagine what sort of things she'd do to Erik and Nila to punish him. Their suffering would be all his fault. Could he really risk their safety for his own?
The answer came immediately.
"No."
"No, what?" Sheriff Taylor asked, still holding out hope that Adam might betray his abuser.
"I have no answer." Or, at least, no answer he was willing to give. Sheriff Taylor wouldn't fall for a lie. He knew. Somehow, he knew. His last guess had been far too specific otherwise.
Then why didn't he do anything? If the man sitting before him knew so easily what Alyssa was up to, then why hadn't he stopped her? Because he can't. If even the sheriff was powerless against her, then what hope did Adam have?
"So you and her just decided to charge out against the Grimm on your own, then?" The idea sounded insane, but if it kept his friends safe, then Adam would gladly accept the criticism. Sheriff Taylor looked like he'd aged at least a decade at Adam's persistent denials. With a dissatisfied grunt, the sheriff rose and made his way to the door. "Last chance, son. Let me help you. All I need is for you to tell me the truth."
"There's nothing to tell," Adam stubbornly refused.
"If you say so." Sheriff Taylor opened the door, stepping aside as Nila shot by with a bottle of water and claimed the seat near Adam. The man took a long look at the pair. "Keep an eye out for her. And if you ever change your mind, my offer still stands."
With that, Sheriff Taylor exited, leaving a very confused Nila alongside the most stubborn faunus the sheriff had ever spoken with.
/- - - - - - - - - -/
Nila had been curious about his conversation with Sheriff Taylor, but Adam latched onto the man's earlier lie easily, claiming they were just going over everything that happened for his report. Nila accepted it without question, though the relief on her face made it clear she'd feared something worse. Maybe she'd just been worried about being separated and questioned. He'd promised the sheriff didn't have any other questions, letting Nila relax as she realized she wouldn't go through a similar interrogation.
Since then, they'd mostly chatted on and off about mundane topics, eager to ignore the Goliath in the room of their imminent return to the orphanage and whatever consequences awaited them. Nila looked a little nervous, but given what they were facing, he felt it justified. Madam de Thom didn't take kindly to disobedience, and he had to imagine running away and getting law enforcement involved ranked pretty high on her list of transgressions. They'd be lucky to get away with a stern lecture.
"What sort of stuff did the sheriff ask you?"
He'd already made up some questions and answers for her earlier, but it seemed the pair were running out of safe topics to fill the time. Or maybe she just needed a distraction. He knew he could use one.
"Mostly about the Grimm," Adam answered, pausing to piece together a believable story while hiding his hesitation in taking a long sip of water. "How many. How big. What they looked like. It was like he'd never seen one before." Which they both knew was false. Anyone with aura was expected to fight Grimm. Otherwise, why bother unlocking it in the first place?
"I hadn't," Nila whispered, her eyes staring off into the distance. It was hard to remember that most people didn't venture outside the walls. Most hadn't seen the harsh reality of life further out. Most residents of Katai had only ever faced one on a page at the local library. "They were so big! And scary. I thought…I thought…"
That they were dead. If it wasn't for Sheriff Taylor, they would've been. Killing one had been nothing more than sheer, dumb luck. As proud as he was of the accomplishment, he knew better than to think he could do so again and survive. But right now, he had no intention of focusing on their helplessness.
Comfort her. Nila's hands trembled as she sat there, likely recalling the terror they'd faced. Like his first encounter, those beasts would haunt her, lurking in every shadow and prowling through her nightmares. Distract her. Get her mind off the Grimm. Let her know she's safe. Get her to focus on you.
Adam reached out, taking her hand in his and feeling her still for a moment. A reassuring squeeze was answered in kind before she leaned over, resting her head against his leg as it hung over the edge of the exam table. His hand slipped from hers to her head, gently stroking her hair. She seemed to relax a little in the silence, taking strength from her protector.
Luck or not, he'd killed a Grimm. He'd faced one of those monsters, wounded it, then eventually slain the beast to protect her. He'd defended her against an unimaginable foe, saving her from a gruesome fate. She clung to him as Adam had once done to Father Bernard, desperate for protection from the terrors lurking beyond.
She trusts you. She believes in you. Adam felt a rush of pride in that moment. She needs you.
She wants you.
Adam's hand froze as the voice continued.
And why shouldn't she? You've always been there for her. Always looked after her. Always protected her. He had, and he would. After all, she was his friend. His best friend. More than a friend.
They were dating. They'd kissed. They'd even talked about the future together. He loved her, and he was pretty sure she loved him too.
She wants you, and you want her. So take her. Claim her as your own. Show her how much she means to you. Let her show you her appreciation.
Adam drew his hand back as the voice urged him on. He did want her. He'd dreamed of it. Longed for it. And after what they'd been through, why shouldn't he? She'd run away with him, tying her life to his. When life threatened to tear them apart, he'd been ready to give his life for hers. And knowing how haunting their experience could be, they could both use the distraction. A chance to bury their fear in one another's embrace. To drive off the terror of one night with the pleasure of another. He'd protect her once more by taking her as his own. All he had to do was-
No! Adam jerked his hand away, his fingers burning as they longed for the feel of her. He drowned his dry mouth with the rest of the water she'd brought him. He could still feel the urge to have her as he looked down at the frightened girl resting on his lap, but he wouldn't force himself on her. Even if she really did want it, that was something they should do together, not something he chose for them. And pressuring her when she was vulnerable would make him as bad as Alyssa.
Thankfully, he was saved by a commotion in the hall, followed by their door giving way to a large woman whose eyes spotted him and threatened to bore a hole in his skull.
"There you are!" Madam de Thom stomped into the room. A loving caretaker might've hugged them, relieved at their safety as they fought back tears of worry.
Madam de Thom was no such person.
"I'll ask you not to hurt my patient any further," Nurse Mari sniped from the doorway as Adam rubbed the back of his head. Nila had shot up, sitting ramrod straight and being spared similar corporal punishment. "I think he's been through enough already."
"Not nearly enough for what he did," Madam de Thom growled. As Adam suspected, she had plenty of punishment planned for them. Now he just had to wait and see what sort of damage he'd have to endure and, if possible, how he could take the brunt of it for Nila.
"Go easy on the kid, Gael," Sheriff Taylor tried, turning her ire on himself in the process. Adam had never heard someone call her by her first name before. Judging by the look on her face, she didn't appreciate his address. "Boy's been through a meat grinder already. Managed to fight off a Beowolf, but took a beating for it."
Rather than be impressed by Adam's victory, Madam de Thom simply sneered and replied, "Serves him right. Maybe next time, he'll remember what we protect him from. My orphanage is the only thing standing between these kids and the cruelty of this world, and he spits on my hospitality by running away like this."
"Makes me wonder what sort of hospitality he was runnin' from."
Adam and Nila both shrank back. Even Nurse Mari seemed eager to run as they could feel the visceral rage pouring off the woman before them.
"And just what are you implying, sheriff?" Adam felt he'd rather face another Beowolf than the vicious monster of a woman at that moment. Somehow, Sheriff Taylor stood strong in the face of his looming demise, seemingly unconcerned with her wrath.
"Just that this ain't the first time a young faunus has tried to run away, that's all." Alyssa had mentioned other faunus boys that had gone through the same torture form her, but he hadn't realized any had run away like him. He wondered if any made it. "Makes a man wonder if there isn't some pattern to it all."
"I treat all of my children the same, faunus or otherwise." Madam de Thom wasn't lying there, even if Alyssa claimed the woman hated faunus. She'd been equally cruel to everyone, regardless of their heritage. In that way, she was unfairly fair in her administration of discipline.
"It's not you I'm worried about."
"How dare you insult my daughter!" He hadn't. At least, not that Adam heard. Without warning, Madam de Thom whirled around, grabbing Adam's arm and hauling him to his feet. "You filthy little…what lies have you been telling him?"
"Nothing!" Adam tried to pull away, only to be rewarded by her nails digging into his arm painfully. "I didn't say anything!"
"The boy didn't say anything," Sheriff Taylor confirmed. "You can let the boy go, Gael."
Madam de Thom didn't let go so much as throw his arm away, causing him to stumble back against the table.
"And you can leave my daughter out of this. I warned you last time what would happen. My husband will hear of this abuse!"
A funny choice of words, considering the abuse Adam suffered from her daughter. Rather than be cowed by the threat of Madam de Thom running to the mayor, Sheriff Taylor laughed at her attempt. "I'm sure he will."
Madam de Thom ignored him as she leaned to the side to address Nurse Mari instead. "Are we done here?"
"He's free to leave, but I'll need to see him again in-"
"I don't have time for this. Just send your notes to the orphanage and I'll see it done." Mari's mouth clicked shut, unwilling to challenge her. "In that case, sheriff, I believe your services are no longer required here."
No one missed the muttered threat of them never being required again.
"As much as I'd love to see Deputy Barnes try to run things himself, I doubt anyone wants the mayor's son to be the one challenging the Grimm next time." Sheriff Taylor hadn't mentioned his deputy was the mayor's son. Just how connected was this family?
The implications of Madam de Thom's family would have to wait. "If you'll excuse me, I've got other matters to attend to. Come along, you two."
Adam and Nila dutifully filed behind her, knowing better than to tempt fate at the moment. Madam de Thom needlessly shouldered her way past Sheriff Taylor before marching out the door. Nurse Mari wisely chose to make room before she could suffer a similar fate.
"Don't worry, Mari. I can drop off your instructions for her later." Sheriff Taylor's voice followed them out, louder than necessary for Madam de Thom's benefit. More likely, for her aggravation. "Been meaning to pay the orphanage a visit, anyways."
"That insufferable man," Madam de Thom groused as she marched them down the hall. As they made their way outside, she barked, "Hurry up! I've already wasted enough of my day with you two. When we get back, we'll have a long talk about your reckless behavior." Apparently done with them, Madam de Thom began to quietly mutter about foolish children and a certain aggravating man.
Nila walked a little closer, brushing up against him in a show of support. Quietly, so as not to anger their executioner, Nila whispered, "I thought you were very brave."
/- - - - - - - - - -/
Madam de Thom's office felt more like a death trap. She'd slammed the door behind them, locking it before claiming her seat behind the imposing desk, glaring at them both before launching into a tirade.
Adam did his best to weather the storm, refusing to look away as Nila sought to focus anywhere but the raging woman before them. After several minutes of yelling without giving them a chance to respond, Adam saw a chance to interject and claim full responsibility.
It went about how he expected.
"That doesn't change anything."
"Nila only came along because I told her to," Adam tried again. "This was all my fault."
"You're both idiots," Madam de Thom summarized. "You're an idiot for trying this. She's an idiot for following."
"That's not fair. We-"
"Fair?!" Apparently he'd chosen the wrong word. "You want to talk to me about fair? How fair was it to have everyone out looking for you two all night, worrying that something had happened?" As if she actually cared that much. "Was it fair for me to have to stop everything here to look for you?"
She hadn't looked for them, though. Just reported them missing and let Sheriff Taylor take care of the rest. He knew better than to point that out, though.
"So you thought you could just grab your horse, steal a bunch of lien, and ride off into the sunset? Is that it?"
"I didn't steal anything!" Well, not the lien, at least. Some of the supplies, maybe. But the money had been his.
"Really? Because I sure didn't give you all that money. So if you didn't steal it," Madam de Thom leaned forward, "where exactly did it come from?"
"From working at the stable," Adam admitted.
"Your paycheck is delivered directly to us. Try again."
"No, it's true!" Adam took a deep breath, knowing she wouldn't like the explanation but refusing to let her call him a thief. "They were tips from some of the merchants. I…I saved them up."
"So you stole from me, then." Madam de Thom sneered at him, even more upset at her new accusation. "All money from your jobs is to be brought to the orphanage for safekeeping." More like for control. "By keeping it yourself, you stole from me."
Adam didn't have an answer this time. Madam de Thom let him stew for a bit before preparing to deliver their sentence.
Adam braced himself for what would come next. "Adam, I'm very disappointed in you. You could've been killed. You deliberately broke the rules. And what's worse, you put Nila in danger."
The last bit stung deep.
"For following your stupidity, Nila will be receiving extra chores to be overseen directly by me."
"Yes, ma'am." Nila kept her head down. As far as punishments went, she'd gotten off easy.
Adam would receive no such mercy. "As for you, Adam…you will no longer be allowed to work outside the orphanage."
"What?!" Nila got more work, while Adam lost his. To most, it should've been a blessing, but his work was the only chance he had to get away from the orphanage.
Away from her.
Worse, she wasn't just barring him from the lumber mill. Papi would be disappointed. Erik, too. But not nearly as much as Eve. If he couldn't leave the orphanage, he couldn't go visit her.
If only it stopped there.
"You will be expected to work extra here to make up for the lost income, including on the weekends. Furthermore, our prior agreements regarding your income are officially revoked."
Prior agreements? Did she mean the funds they were setting aside? With no job, he wouldn't be adding to that anyways. Was she saying he wouldn't even have those funds? That wasn't fair!
Wait. If he wasn't working at the stable, then that meant…
"Eve!"
"Like I said. All prior agreements have been revoked." It didn't take a genius to figure out what she meant, but she expounded on it anyways. "Since you can no longer cover the expenses for stabling your horse, it will be sold. I've already been in contact with a gentleman at the stable who has agreed to pay more than a fair price for an injured horse."
"You can't-"
"Furthermore!" Madam de Thom silenced him with a single word. "With your recent medical expenses and loss of income, the funds we have set aside will be used to offset the additional expenses you have caused."
"But I-"
Madam de Thom ignored his attempt to speak. "Considering the trouble you two have caused, consider yourself lucky you still have a home here. Or that you are even still alive." Nila flinched, but Adam barely heard anything under the crushing weight of his new reality. "You will be allowed to visit the stable next week to say goodbye to your horse. Supervised, naturally."
A small mercy, but an ultimately meaningless one. She'd taken everything from him. His work. His horse. His freedom. It was far worse than he'd imagined.
And it was only getting started.
"For now, I suggest you both keep your heads down and stay out of trouble. If you so much as think of causing issues for me, we'll be having words. Understood?"
Both of them silently nodded their heads.
"Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," they mumbled in unison.
"Good. Now, I have a lot of work to do, thanks to you two. Nila, you may return to your room. Adam," he waited for the words he feared most, "Alyssa is expecting you. I want her to make sure that quack patched you up properly. If not, she'll be hearing from me in the morning."
/- - - - - - - - - -/
Adam wished he could be anywhere but there. He lingered outside the closed door, desperately trying to come up with an excuse to flee the lion's den before him. He knew he couldn't. Facing the demon within would be the final, crushing blow on his spirit, but like Madam de Thom said, she was waiting for him.
His hand felt heavy as he slowly raised it, forcing himself to knock three times. He heard the movement within. The sudden shuffling that heralded his demise. Yet, the door remained closed as Alyssa took her time. He could hear her arranging things inside, dragging out his suffering before the door finally began to open.
There, in all her vileness, stood Alyssa. He was grateful to see her fully clothed, half-expecting her to be wearing nothing but some negligee, if anything at all. Still, he knew better than to trust her.
"Ah, the little, lost sheep returns." Adam couldn't help but feel more sacrificial than lost. "Come in, Adam."
Resigned to his fate, Adam trudged inside, the door closing behind him and sealing his doom. She sauntered past him, trailing a single finger across his shoulder and down his arm as she passed. Adam didn't so much as shiver, completely defeated before she'd even begun.
"I was so worried about you, Adam." Alyssa held a hand out to the bed, silently instructing him to sit. When Adam obeyed, she smiled in satisfaction. "Glad to see you're in one piece." She looked him over, eyes pausing on the splint on his arm. "Well, mostly."
Adam's eyes stayed fixated on the far wall, even when Alyssa stood in front of him, bending forward to inspect some injury while conveniently granting him what should've been a tantalizing view.
"Mother says I need to check your back, so off with your shirt." Adam mindlessly lifted his arms, allowing her to remove it herself. She tutted at the bandages, running her hands across the layers of fabric. "First thing's first. We need to get these off."
Rather than go around to unclasp it in the back, Alyssa straddled him, peeking over his shoulder and reaching around to loosen the fasteners. She took her time, pressing herself into him as she did, before finally retreating.
Alyssa did everything she needed to. Removing the bandages revealed long rows of stitches which she gleefully poked and prodded at, earning grunts of pain from her victim. Her hands traced across each and every injury, exploring his body as his mind drifted away, abandoning any hope of escape or resistance. He just hoped she'd finish soon so he could drag himself to bed.
"Looks decent enough," Alyssa announced. Everything's been cleaned and the stitching looks tight enough. You should make a full recovery." If Alyssa expected him to thank her, she'd be disappointed. "Still, better safe than sorry. You'll need to be monitored tonight."
And just like that, even the hope of rest was stolen from him as Alyssa locked the door, making a show of removing her top and strutting back over.
"Don't worry, Adam. I'll take good care of you tonight." Adam's lack of interest only served to pique hers. "Nothing to say? I'm hurt, Adam. Then again, I guess it has been a long day. Don't worry. I'll let you get your rest. We'll deal with your punishment tomorrow. For now, let's just have some fun and get some sleep."
An hour later, freshly washed but feeling as dirty as ever, Adam laid on his back, staring at the darkened ceiling above. Alyssa was asleep next to him, arm draped across his bare chest as she snuggled closer to his warm body. He'd barely noticed half the things she'd done to him, simply enduring until she'd taken her fill. Everything hurt. Everything felt numb. More than that, though, everything felt wrong.
He was back where he'd started. Worse, even. And this time, there was no hope of escape.
And just like that, we're back to the orphanage! But hey, at least I didn't kill off Nila! I'm sure some of you were expecting it, given Adam's penchant for everyone close to him dying, but I've gotta keep you guessing. Who knows. Maybe I'll even give him some happy moments later! It could happen.
So many things going on here that I felt like I was really cramming it in there at the end. The sheriff and Madam de Thom. His suspicions about Alyssa. The growing voice in Adam's head. Mari somehow being different than Mary (because Qrow shouldn't be the only one having fun). And, of course, the most important moment of the chapter:
Nila doing a Nala quote!
Couldn't resist having her do the "I thought you were very brave" line from The Lion King. Even had Madam de Thom copy Mufasa from the following lecture, just to see if anyone recognized it. Even if not, I enjoyed sneaking it in. Sometimes, you've gotta write some stuff for yourself.
Next chapter: Adam tries to cope with his return while dealing with the fallout.