We had a big presentation to do a walkthrough for on Tuesday, so naturally, they changed the section I was supporting on Monday night. I only found out Tuesday morning and had had to make slides and prepare with only a few hours' notice. Major panic time, plus all the stuff I'd already promised to do this week had to be rushed afterwards. Fun!
Naturally, as I've mentioned before, my limited time means a long chapter! The longest thus far, actually. Buy one chapter, get 50% more! I almost cut it off early, but I knew if I didn't get to the end of this one, I'd kick myself for it later.
Which leads to a big old TRIGGER WARNING here. I'd put this one right alongside our first warning for sexual abuse involving a minor, though I personally think this one is worse. No specific details or descriptions, but it genuinely hurt to write. You'll see why. Or just skip to the end notes for a brief summary to avoid the awfulness of the second half of this chapter (after second section break). Either way, this is a pretty brutal moment for Adam that I'd known was coming but have been avoiding as much as possible.
With that happy intro, let's get to the chapter!
Saturday morning was normally a cause for celebration. With how busy the week could get, everyone sort of breathed a sigh of relief with the relaxation Saturday brought. Most of the orphanage would spend the day lounging or playing, especially on a sunny day like today. Even now, Adam could hear the cheers and laughter of those playing games outside.
But this wasn't a normal Saturday for Adam. The end of breakfast found him marching to Madam de Thom's office rather than following the stampede of children outside. While everyone else played, Adam would be working. Even Saturday wasn't immune to his new workload. If anything, Saturday just felt like another weekday now. Even more so once he saw his list of morning chores, starting with some familiar work upstairs.
After last night's actual lesson, he'd been afraid to go anywhere near Alyssa. He expected her to be angry with him. Vengeful, even. Whatever horrors he'd been spared last night surely waited for him this morning. Maybe worse. He expected her to trap him the moment he went upstairs and make him pay, even if he hadn't been the one responsible for his escape.
Which proved to be another oddity for today. He'd spotted Alyssa the moment he entered her room and asked for the keys, only to be shocked at her response. She didn't attack him. Didn't taunt or tease him.. She merely handed him the keys and told him to get to work. Even when he returned, her only instructions were to leave the keys on her desk.
Maybe last night had rattled her. Sheriff Taylor hadn't exactly been subtle with his accusations. Not that he was wrong, but bringing it up to her and rubbing her nose in it? He probably thought he was some sort of hero for rescuing him, but all he'd done was delay his suffering and rile Alyssa up. He couldn't always be around to protect him, and they all knew that.
But for now, Alyssa held back, ignoring him entirely as he hurried away. Despite his curiosity, Adam wasted no time evacuating the upper floor and reporting to the kitchen for the rest of his chores. With all the time he spent there, Adam wondered if he'd have a future in the food service industry. Then again, most of his work involved carrying food in or cleaning dishes. The closest he came to cooking was stirring a pot. Not exactly the makings of a fine chef.
"What have you two been up to?" Adam asked once he was freed to join his friends for lunch. He tilted his head to the side as he sat down, earning a satisfying crack.
Nila glanced at him in concern at the sharp sound, but Erik ignored it as he answered, "Not much. Worked on some homework. Did you figure out those word problems last night?"
Strangely enough, he had. As cruel as Alyssa could be - and often was - she was still a good teacher when she wanted to be. "We can look over them tonight," Adam promised.
"I'm surrounded by nerds!" Nila jokingly exclaimed. Adam could only roll his eyes, since she spent much more time working on homework than he ever did. Not that either of them could measure up to Erik's level. "It's the weekend! Relax a little. We should all go hang out outside and enjoy the sun after lunch."
"Can't." Adam's answer surprised her.
"Why not?"
"I'm going to see Eve." The trio fell silent at the reminder. Erik remembered, despite Nila being the one present when Madam de Thom informed him of the sale. Still, they both knew how much Eve meant to him.
Nila looked extra guilty for having forgotten. "Adam. I'm s-sorry. I-"
"Don't worry about it." It wasn't her fault, and he'd hardly hold something like forgetting against her. After all, she wasn't the one being punished.
"Do you…do you want me to come with you?"
Did he? On the one hand, having some support would be nice. On the other, he didn't really want her to see him at his weakest. How could she rely on him if he wasn't strong enough to keep it together? If he wanted to protect them, then he needed them to trust in his resilience. His strength. They needed to see him as an immovable rock, not as the broken mess he really was.
Besides, they probably wouldn't have a choice. "I don't think Madam de Thom will let you."
"I could ask." Nila getting back to her old self was encouraging, though Adam kinda wished her stubbornness had held off a little longer.
"Don't. You'll just get in trouble." Adam had worked hard to keep the focus of their punishment on himself. Nila getting involved would just shift some of Madam de Thom's ire onto her. "Besides, I'll only be gone an hour or so. We can hang out afterwards."
"You promise?" As if he had anything else to do. He didn't have much free time anymore, but what little he had would be spent with his friends - his last source of happiness. And considering what he'd be doing beforehand, he had a feeling he'd need some time with them afterwards.
"I promise."
/- - - - - - - - - -/
Adam made sure to slip away from lunch a few minutes early, keen to avoid being late to Madam de Thom's office. Whether she'd hunt him down or just decide to cancel his visit entirely, he didn't want to test still had a handful of hours each week that weren't filled with chores, and he intended to keep it that way.
The imposing door stood shut as usual. A quick, loud knock summoned the standard order to enter, the door creaking slightly as he opened it. The room was as ordered as always. Madam de Thom insisted on every inch of the orphanage being kept tidy, including her own area. As far as Adam knew, none of the children were made to clean her office, meaning she did the work herself. The image of the larger woman scrubbing baseboards and dusting the bookshelf brought a smile to his face.
Which died the moment he noticed the other occupant of the room.
"Hello, Adam."
"Alyssa!" What was she doing here? Had she finally decided he'd crossed a line and gone back on their agreement? Did Madam de Thom think he'd tried to take advantage of her or something? His eyes hastily shot to her mother's face, expecting nothing but rage and vengeance.
Madam de Thom looked rather bored for an executioner. Maybe a little tired, too. "Adam. Thank you for showing up early." She waved him to the all-too-familiar seat as she finished signing something. "Punctuality will serve you well in life. A man who cannot keep an appointment cannot be trusted to keep his word."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Unfortunately, I actually won't be able to keep our appointment today."
Adam wondered what that said about her word before the meaning of her words dawned on him. "What? But you promised I'd get to see-"
"Quiet." Madam de Thom raised her hand silencing him with her single, sharp word. "You'll still get to see your horse today, as we agreed." Adam knew better than to interrupt when she still had her hand up. A small grin slipped over her face at his compliance. "That's better. As I said, I won't be able to take you, so Alyssa will go in my stead."
"Alyssa?" More alone time with her wasn't exactly something he was interested in. Especially after last night.
His frantic tone made both women frown. "Is there a problem?" Madam de Thom asked.
Of course there was, not that he could say so. Even hinting at his hesitation could set them both off, especially with all the accusations and investigation of Sheriff Taylor. Alyssa would deny everything. Maybe even find a way to blame him for something instead. Madam de Thom would just assume he was acting out or that Sheriff Taylor had gotten to him. Either way, he wouldn't have a hope of convincing her of what her daughter actually got up to when they were alone.
"No, ma'am."
"Good. Rest assured, I have told Alyssa of our arrangement." But Alyssa clearly hadn't told her of their arrangement. "You will have sufficient time to say farewell to your horse, although you will not be allowed to ride her at any point."
Because the moment he did, they all knew he'd make a break for it. As blind as the orphanage's matron was to her daughter's dirty little secret, she wasn't an idiot. He'd fooled her once, and she intended to avoid a repeat.
"Once you are done, Alyssa will escort you right back here, got it?" Adam nodded in resignation. "Good. After that, you will have the rest of the day to yourself. I'll be away tomorrow, so Alyssa will handle your chores in the morning."
This time, Adam managed to stop himself from blurting out the accursed name. "You're leaving?"
"Only for part of the day," Madam de Thom explained, even if she didn't need to. Her schedule hardly needed his approval. "There are some…matters that require my attention." She grumbled something afterwards, but Adam couldn't make anything out. "Either way, I have given her a list of chores for you to complete before my return. Once those are done, you are free to enjoy the rest of your weekend as you see fit."
"C'mon, Adam," Alyssa sweetly instructed. "We'd better get going. Don't want to keep Eve waiting." Madam de Thom went back to her paperwork, ignoring him in such a way to make it clear they'd finished. Reluctantly, Adam took the dismissal for what it was and followed Alyssa out.
Walking out the front door of the orphanage should've been cause for celebration. With his injuries and the colossal mountain of chores heaped upon him, Adam had barely been outside at all that week. Instead, he marched along with his eyes fixed on the ground, trying his best to pretend she wasn't there.
She didn't let him.
"You excited to see Eve?" One last time, she didn't add. Adam's grunt barely registered in agreement. "I'm sure she'll be happy to see you, at least. She's a really pretty horse. I even asked Mother if we could buy her."
"What?" Alyssa wanted to buy Eve? Of course she did. Bad enough she was being ripped away from Adam, but Alyssa would love rubbing it in his face. She might even have planned to use her as a bargaining chip, not that she needed it. He was already trapped, but she was just vindictive enough to use Eve against him. Would she have offered visits to the stable in exchange for his compliance? Considering he didn't have a choice anyways, maybe that would've been better. At least he'd get something out of it for once.
Alyssa seemed unphased by his shock. "I always wanted a horse when I was younger. Would've been fun to go riding on the weekends."
And just like most people, that was all she'd considered. Owning a horse wasn't just about fun, though. Sure, he loved taking Eve for a ride and letting her run while he felt the wind whip past him, but he also loved the bond between them. He took care of her. Learned her little quirks and habits. Eve wasn't just a way for him to get from point a to point b faster. Nor was she just a pet. Eve was his friend. She was a member of his family - a family that had drastically reduced in number over the years.
A family that would soon be even smaller.
Adam had to hope her new owner would be responsible and understanding with her. He dreaded to imagine her being bought by one of the merchants. They'd hook her up to one of their accursed wagons and resign her to a life of work. Eve wasn't used to pulling a wagon. She needed to be free to run and play. Eve had always been a single-rider horse that could practically fly across the land. Being tied to the slow pace of a caravan would kill her.
"At least it's a nice day." True to Alyssa's words, the sun shone brightly, warming his face against the slight chill in the air. No wonder Nila had wanted to spend so much time outside. It was practically a perfect day, if he ignored the chores, homework, and farewell that plagued it. Not to mention the awful company.
At least he could spend some time later with his friends. He just hoped his last time with Eve wouldn't be too hard on him.
Alyssa waited yet again for a response that never came. Finally giving up on the subtle approach, she sighed and asked the most pointless question in history. "You don't like me very much, do you, Adam?"
Talk about an understatement. Adam didn't dislike Alyssa - he despised her. And for good reason. The things she'd done could never be forgiven. If she died, he'd go to her funeral, but only so he could drive a stake through her cold heart and make sure she stayed dead.
"You know, you should thank me."
Adam couldn't hold back his snarled response. "Thank you?" For what? Betraying his trust? Abusing him? Ruining his childhood? Call him ungrateful, but those didn't sound like the types of things you sent a thank you card for.
"For saving your life," she answered, even if he hadn't asked it out loud. "I was the one to notice you and Nila were missing. I even suggested we report it to the sheriff. As much as I hate that man, I knew he could find you. I told him about your horse, too, so we didn't waste time searching the town first. If I hadn't said anything, he might've been too late." With a smug grin, Alyssa made sure to add, "In a way, I saved you."
Part of Adam suddenly wished he'd died to the Beowolf, if only because of her involvement in his rescue. He'd only run away in the first place because of her. She may have helped save his life, but she'd also been the one to ruin it. Surely those cancelled out.
"Not to mention everything else I've done for you." Adam nearly laughed at the absurdity. As if he'd be grateful for her abuse. Adam wasn't exactly immune to hormones, but even a beautiful woman like her couldn't make up for her inner repulsiveness. "I know plenty of boys who wish they could be in your shoes."
"Like Finn?" Maybe it was petty, or maybe he just wanted to push back for once, but he couldn't help the small thrill of satisfaction when Alyssa froze for a moment, her eyes narrowing as he wiped her smile off her face.
It only lasted for a moment, though. "Who-" Alyssa no doubt wondered how he knew about Finn, but it wouldn't take her long to figure it out. There were really only two suspects. Alyssa guessed wrong, muttering something about an "evil, rotten bunny" before recovering. "He never complained," she shrugged.
"He certainly isn't now," Adam shot back. He'd pay for that one later, but whatever evil machinations she created, he could hold onto this one moment he'd one-upped her. Plus, he couldn't let her focus on Nila. If he kept himself squarely in her cross sights, she wouldn't have time to aim at his friend. He wished he could claim he did it as a tribute to his predecessor, but spite was more to blame than honor. Still, whoever Finn was, he'd been forced through the same hell Adam now endured and deserved to be remembered.
Alyssa may not have tied the rope around Finn's neck, but she'd as good as killed him. Her claws had suffocated him long before the noose could.
Alyssa gave up on their discussion for the rest of the trip. Adam thanked the gods for small mercies, even if they didn't bother with bigger ones. It was hard to put much faith in beings that would leave him to suffer so much. They hadn't healed Father Bernard. They hadn't saved Mazarin from those thieves. They certainly hadn't struck Alyssa down yet. Why should he care about them? They clearly didn't care about him.
As much as he may have wished otherwise, there was no justice in the world. Alyssa prospered while causing so much pain and suffering, Grimm wiped entire settlements off the map without warning, and some undeserving fool would soon own Eve.
As it turned out, he recognized the undeserving fool. "Ah, Adam!"
The same man that had often badgered him about selling Eve stood outside Eve's stall, stroking her snout. Seeing Eve so comfortable with her new owner hurt, but the excited stamp and whiny she greeted him with helped. Alyssa introduced him as Don - a name Adam vaguely recalled but had never bothered to remember. He just knew the guy as someone who wanted to take Eve away from him.
"Don agreed to pay full price for Eve, even though she was injured," Alyssa explained as Adam ignored her and hurried over to steal Don's spot outside the stall.
"I know what she's worth," Don said. "She wasn't hurt too bad, and injured or not, she's still the finest horse here."
Adam knew he was just being nice, but he still took a little pride in the compliment to Eve. Without waiting for permission, Adam slipped into Eve's stall, running his hands down her flank before reaching the spot where the Beowolf had struck her. Luckily, she'd only been backhanded, so the claws hadn't sliced through her side. If they had, Eve might not be alive. She looked fine to him and didn't seem to flinch under his gentle pressure, but he could feel a little tightness in the area. Hopefully, she'd work that out in time and be back to normal.
"This place smells awful," Alyssa complained, waving a hand in front of her nose and proving just how little she knew of caring for horses. Did she expect the stable to smell like perfume?
Don chuckled, likely thinking the same. "We take the horses out periodically, but, well…they don't exactly hold it until then, if you know what I mean."
She did, if the way she scrunched up her face was anything to go by. "Let's just…hurry up."
"You could always wait outside," Don offered. Alyssa made to protest, but Don stopped her. "Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on the kid. And the horse," he added. Not like he would let Adam ride off with her after he'd bought her.
Alyssa saw the wisdom in his words…or maybe she just decided it worth the risk to get some fresh air. Either way, she began to back her way toward the exit, watching Adam as she did. "I'll give you a few minutes, then, but don't take too long. I'll come back when it's time to go."
"Might want to watch your-" Don's mouth tightened as Alyssa's foot made a disgusting squelch. "-step."
Alyssa looked down at the definitely-not-mud she'd stomped directly into the center of. Her eyes widened as she sucked in a breath, the acrid smell enough to draw a frustrated scream before she turned and stomped away, doing her best to scrap the filth off her shoe along the way.
"Guess I should've cleaned that up," Don commented, uncaring for Alyssa's calamity. "She's in good shape. I've been taking her on walks to work out that sore muscle each day. Reckon she'll be back to lapping the rest of these slowpokes in no time." Adam ignored his words, working his way back up Eve's side to circle around to the other. Passing behind a horse, even one you knew well, wasn't exactly a great idea. "About the sale. I-"
"Don't." Adam cut him off. He was here for some final moments with Eve, not to make peace with her new owner. Don had been good to him for the most part. Even kept his secret about his lien stash a couple weeks ago. But that didn't make them friends.
Don hardly looked offended, likely understanding just how he looked in Adam's eyes. "I get it. I just wanted to let you know you're free to come visit her whenever you want. I'll even let you take her out for a bit."
Adam stopped at Don's generous offer. He had no obligation to Adam. As of last week, Don had complete control over Eve. Most people would've wanted him to stay away, especially after he tried to run last time. Eve nudged her snout against him. He'd love to come see her more, but there was one problem.
"I can't," Adam admitted, his shoulders dropping as he crushed the tiny bit of hope before it could take root. "They won't let me."
"Who?" Don asked incredulously. Adam's eyes followed the path Alyssa had fled. "Ah. Well, that sucks. Maybe I could talk to them for you?"
"I don't think they'll listen." Madam de Thom hadn't sounded in the mood to negotiate, and having access to his horse would be pretty high on her list of bad ideas.
"Well, maybe once you're older, then." Like most of the town, Don knew all about the rules of the orphanage. In a few years, he'd be kicked out on his own. On the bright side, he'd be free from their crippling rules.
And from her.
"I might just be looking for an experienced hand to help with the horses," Don mentioned. "Maybe a young faunus boy who knows his way around the stable already. Interested?"
A job? He hadn't really given any thought to that lately, other than his complete lack of one. But a job working with horses? Honestly, that sounded better than the lumber mill. Especially if it meant he'd get to work with Eve.
Don let him chew on the offer a bit before dropping another bombshell on him. "Oh, and you might want to check that loose board in Eve's stall. I think you left something there."
Fueled by his words, Adam slipped past Eve and swung the familiar panel to the side. Wide eyes found a small pouch that he'd kept there for so long. But how? He'd taken that with him when they left. Even more bizarre, it wasn't empty! He could tell right away that it wasn't all the lien he'd saved up, but there was still a decent amount stashed in there.
"How?"
"When the sheriff brought her back the other day, he showed me the money you'd left on her." Don laughed as he watched the gears turning in Adam's head. "Told him about all your tips and how you always hid it here."
"You told him?" He'd promised to keep Adam's secret, and yet he'd just up and told the sheriff like that?
"He's a good man," Don assured him. "He said he had to turn it in, but then let it slip that they didn't know how much you had. Pulled out a decent stack and tossed me the rest, then left saying he had everything he needed. I figured you'd want to know."
He'd…Sheriff Taylor had snuck his money back to him? Madam de Thom had to know he'd taken some lien with him. If they hadn't turned anything in, she might've gotten suspicious. Instead, they'd held some back for him. "But why?" Why be so generous? The job offer. The visits. The lien. Why would anyone do so much for someone they didn't even know?
"Eh, you seem like a good kid. Figured I'd do what I can to help." Don smiled down on him, letting out a small chuckle. "Wouldn't be right of me not to help when I can. A man is only as good as the people he helps."
As the people he helped? Adam could vaguely recall similar lessons from years ago. Helping others. That was something he could get behind. He'd hold on and help his friends no matter what happened - no matter how much it hurt. He wouldn't run away again.
"Keep it."
"Huh?"
"Keep the money," Adam clarified, gently putting the board back in place. "They'll just take it from me anyways. Use it to make sure Eve is taken care of."
Don watched him carefully. It looked like he wanted to argue, but he knew Adam was right. Leaving it there until he was old enough would be foolish. Besides, someone should get to use it. If nothing else, he could take it as thanks for taking care of Eve. What little he knew of the man made him think he'd at least be a good caretaker for Eve.
"Can you…" Adam gulped, fighting to keep a brave face. "Can you give us a moment?"
Don nodded as he stepped away to check another stall, giving him some privacy while still being within line-of-sight. Adam turned to find Eve pawing gently at the ground, eager to go out for a ride.
"Not today, girl." Not any day. At least not for a long time. "I'm gonna be gone for a while, okay girl? Now, now. None of that." Adam rubbed her head as she leaned down and nuzzled against his shoulder. He could feel tears fighting to break free, but he held them back, promising he'd be strong for Eve. "Y-you take care of yourself, okay? Make sure you get plenty of exercise. I don't…" Adam wiped his face, sniffing as his arm came away wet. "I don't want to hear you slowin' down while I'm gone. Got it?"
Dam weakened, Adam could feel the light trace of moisture running down his face, but he didn't fight it. He smiled brokenly, more thankful for the tears than he dared admit. He wanted to be strong, but he'd also been afraid he wouldn't feel anything - that he was too broken to hurt. As strange as it sounded, feeling sad thrilled him a little. Each tear served as a bitter reminder that, in spite of all he'd been through, he was still human. That buried deep behind the wounds and scars, his heart wasn't completely ruined.
After all, it couldn't break if it was gone.
/- - - - - - - - - -/
The next morning, Adam woke to a damp pillow, tears having puddled during the night. His eyes were dry now, just like they were after yesterday's trip to the stables. He'd done his best to recover before Alyssa could see, and even harder when he got back to Erik and Nila. He basked in the simple joy of being around them, letting their silly conversations and games distract him. Despite his best efforts, or maybe just expecting as much, Nila did her best to keep him focused. He'd promised to be the one they could rely on, but for one night, he'd let them support him.
If Erik had heard him crying during the night, he didn't comment on it, instead spending the morning going on and on about some story he'd read recently. Adam humored him as best he could, following along the scattered retelling of a time traveler stuck in a loop, trying to save everyone he cared about and resetting each time he failed. Adam asked if he could borrow the book sometime, if only because the main character's devotion to his friends sounded like something he could respect.
Breakfast flew by far faster than Adam liked. Nila complained about some homework assignment while Erik needlessly argued about how theirs was harder. Given they were a year ahead of her, it made sense they had harder homework. Adam didn't get the point of the competition but enjoyed the familiar banter nonetheless.
It couldn't last, though. Soon, Adam had to leave them for his chores, and he didn't dare think he'd get off easy this time around. He'd been rescued Friday by the sheriff. Yesterday, Alyssa didn't have much chance to do anything with them being in public. Now, it would be just the two of them all morning as she made him do chores and, likely, other things.
Nila promised to meet them at lunch before rushing back to her room to tackle another assignment. Erik, on the other hand, said he'd be outside reading if Adam finished early. He doubted Alyssa would grant him such mercy, but the thought was nice.
Alyssa was all business when he arrived, earning a relieved sigh from Adam. "You're late."
"Sorry." He wasn't late or sorry, but arguing with her wouldn't help.
Alyssa pulled out a list of chores, no doubt left behind by Madam de Thom as promised. It looked a little lengthy, but nothing he couldn't handle. Then again, they had to be done before Alyssa's mom got back, so maybe taking his time would keep her at bay. She couldn't risk Mother coming back to find them together.
"Start with the kitchen," Alyssa ordered. "The dishes need washed first, then mop the floors afterwards. That needs to be done quick so the floor can dry before lunch. Got it?"
"Got it."
"And don't take too long. I'll come down to check on your progress in a bit." And there went that plan. He wouldn't hurry, but delaying wouldn't work, either. Hopefully, he could go just fast enough not to raise her suspicion.
Kitchen work came easy. He'd already found a decent system for washing the dishes, and no one even batted an eye at him anymore. He was practically part of the kitchen now, as familiar to everyone there as the stove. They didn't bother talking to him, but then again, he hardly cared to listen. Most days, he came in, did his work as fast as possible, and left.
Today was a little different.
Adam took his time with every step. Each plate was carefully scrubbed and inspected before being loaded into the conveyer-fed dishwasher. Utensils were sorted into separate piles rather than being washed together. If he even thought he saw a fleck of something on a dish, it went through again. Still, he made sure to keep making progress, just to be safe.
Which paid off when Alyssa made a sudden appearance. "Almost done?"
"Still have to mop up," Adam announced as he put away a few final pots that would be needed for dinner.
"Well, hurry up." Yeah. Hurry. He'd be sure to do just that. Then again, it wouldn't do to be anything less than thorough. This was where their food was cooked. You didn't want lingering dirt in a place like that. "Then come back upstairs for the rest of the list."
Adam's speed rivaled the snails on the back patio as he carefully swept his mop across every square inch of the floor, even going so far as to move a few tables and racks to get behind them better. He dragged it out as much as reasonably possible, wrapping up only once the cook chased him out, saying he needed his kitchen back. With no further delays readily available, he made his way back to Alyssa's room to replicate his "hasty" efforts elsewhere.
Something seemed off the moment he made it upstairs. He looked around, but nothing seemed out of place. The doors to each room were closed, as they should be. He could hear the laughter and cheers of children at play outside. The morning sun shone brightly through the hall windows, lighting up the freshly-vacuumed carpet.
Wait…
Adam stopped halfway down Alyssa's hallway, staring at the floor for a moment as he realized what was different. He could see the lines from the vacuum being run recently, but he hadn't done that. The windows looked spotless except for a few light streaks of cleaner residue. Everything looked nice and fresh, but he'd been downstairs the whole time.
"About time, Adam." Alyssa smiled as his feet autopilot him into her room. "I was about to come looking for you again. You weren't avoiding me, were you?" Adam shook his head. "And after I went out of my way to help you with your chores."
Adam gulped, wondering just who she was truly "helping." He hadn't planned for his list to be shortened while he was out. He could see her list on the desk with lines through practically every chore already. Either she'd finished them herself or decided they didn't need done. Some were just meant to keep him busy, so skipping them wouldn't even be noticeable. But without that distraction, he had hours to spare.
He doubted she'd spare him, though.
"Take a seat, Adam." Adam slowly did so, keeping an eye on her the entire time. Vulnerable as he was now, she made no move to stand, sitting comfortably on her bed. Her cruel eyes watched as his obedience brought a smile to her face. "It's been quite the weekend, hasn't it?"
"Y-yeah." Was it just him, or did the room feel so much hotter all of the sudden?
"First that horrible sheriff interrupts us on Friday, and then I barely even got to see you yesterday. Such a pity." Alyssa leaned forward a little. "I thought we could catch up a bit this morning."
Adam didn't answer, terrified to hasten the conversation. He doubted she just wanted to talk. Nothing with Alyssa was that easy. Then again, she'd left the door open. That had to be a good sign, right? She always made sure to lock it before…doing things to him.
"How was your visit with Eve?"
She should know. After all, she'd been there for the whole thing. Well, minus her brief departure to get some fresh air. "It was okay."
"You looked pretty sad afterwards," Alyssa commented cruelly, her face showing not a bit of remorse.
He'd done his best to hide it, but she would've been able to spot his reddened eyes and hunched shoulders easily enough. "It hurt…saying goodbye like that."
"But it would've hurt more not to, right?" Adam nodded, unsure where she was going. "It would've been pretty cruel of you to leave without saying a proper goodbye." Ah, now he saw it. "Like how you and Nila didn't bother to say anything when you left last week."
If he'd been on edge before, the mention of Nila threatened to topple him. "It was my idea-"
"Oh, I know," Alyssa hummed. "I just wanted you to know how much you two hurt me. But don't worry, Adam. I forgive you."
The slow words sent a chill down his spine.
"But forgiven or not, there are still consequences to every action. Extra chores, for example." With the completed list nearby, Adam knew that wasn't her point. "You run away, you get extra work. You steal a bunch of lien, you lose your job. You tell the sheriff about me…"
Oh crap! "I didn't!"
"Oh? So you didn't have some chats with Mister Taylor?" Her sweet tone did little to set Adam at ease. "That's funny, because he seemed to be talking with everyone else."
Erik. Nila. Heck, he'd probably cornered Papi at some point. And, of course, Alyssa and Madam de Thom, neither of which particularly enjoyed the conversations.
"So why don't you share with the class what you didn't talk about?"
"I didn't say anything!" Adam insisted. "All I said was that I decided to run away and convinced Nila to come with me!"
Alyssa didn't look convinced. "So you didn't say anything about you and me?"
It didn't take a genius to figure out what she meant. "No!" Even after Sheriff Taylor pressed him for info, he'd denied everything, specifically to avoid this.The small gratitude he'd felt for the sheriff yesterday had already dried up.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure," Adam panted, taking a few deep breaths to calm down. "I didn't tell him anything. I promise."
Alyssa stared at him, evidently finding what she was looking for. "I believe you, Adam. Which is good…for you." Alyssa stood, but rather than go for the door or even come after him, she strolled over to her dresser and pulled out a knife - his knife - and gently pressed the tip against her finger, rotating it slowly back and forth. "I'd hate to think what would've happened if you'd gone back on our deal."
Nothing good, that was certain. If he was lucky, a false accusation and some time in jail would be all. But Alyssa was just crazy enough to do more. Maybe she would've attacked him, slicing him with his own knife before claiming self-defense. She'd tell everyone how she'd wrestled the knife away and fought him off. A few cuts to remind him who was in charge. Or maybe even some scarring. Would she go as far as claiming a finger? There was no telling how far she'd go.
But he was about to find out.
"I've got one last thing for you to do, Adam." Adam's eyes sought the floor, knowing what she meant. He'd known this was coming since Friday, when she'd been denied her fun. He stood and took a step toward her bed.
Only to freeze at her next words.
"Go fetch Nila."
"What?!" No. Not Nila. "She didn't do anything, I swear!"
"Someone talked to Sheriff Taylor. A certain bunny girl, I believe he said." Curse him and his stupid accusations! "Unless you know another rabbit faunus, I think we both know who he meant."
"Y-you can't!"
Alyssa surged forward, knocking him back into his chair, which nearly toppled over only for Alyssa to slam a hand down, pinning his arm to the armrest and righting the seat. "I can, Adam. I can do anything I want. Don't forget, I own you." The knife in her hand tickled against his cheek. "Is that understood?" Adam nodded frantically. "I said, is that understood?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Much better." The blade pressed a little harder, threatening to draw blood. "Next time, I'll give you a more permanent reminder." The knife flicked away from his face as she stepped back. "Now, do as you're told and bring Nila here."
"But she-"
"Ah ah, no buts!" Alyssa wagged a finger in front of him. "I just want to talk to her. I won't do anything to her."
"You promise?"
Rather than be upset, Alyssa chuckled as she stepped back. "I promise. I won't so much as touch her. In fact, I won't even come near her, as long as you behave yourself. Step out of line once, though…"
Adam got the message.
His mind raced far faster than his hesitant feet, trying to figure out what to do. He couldn't run away from this. Even refusing to bring Nila wouldn't help. She could still go get Nila herself, and then whatever unreliable promise of not touching her would be off the table. In fact, Alyssa would probably do something terrible, just to make a point. For all he knew, this was just a test. If he brought her and didn't say anything, Alyssa might just ask Nila a few questions and let her go. Yeah! That was it. She just wanted to make sure he obeyed and watch him squirm a bit to remind him who was in charge. That was all.
At least, that's what he kept telling himself.
"Adam?"
Crap. He'd been so busy trying to figure out what to do that he didn't see where he was. Left to their own devices, his feet had done their duty and guided him to his destination.
Traitors.
"Hey, Nila," he managed, choking on the words a little.
"Why are you in my room?" There wasn't an official rule against that or anything, but you didn't normally see boys and girls sneaking into each other's rooms. After all, if you wanted to get up to something naughty, an open room with a dozen or so people wasn't exactly the best option. Even now, one of Nila's roommates had copied Nila and stayed inside to work on homework. "Is something wrong?"
"Everything's fine." His voice cracked. With a quick cough, Adam tried again. "Everything's fine."
Nila set her papers aside, closing them in her textbook. "Are you done already? I-I can do this later if you wanna hang out for a bit."
He desperately wished he could, but he had a mission, as cursed as it was. "Actually, Alyssa wanted me to come find you."
Nila deflated a bit. "More chores?" Her hope of some alone time would have to wait.
"Something like that." She'd said she just wanted to talk to Nila, but he knew better than to assume anything with her. The best he could hope for was that she'd keep her word and just mess with Adam's nerves. If that was the plan, it was working beautifully.
"Give me just a sec." Nila rushed to put her book away, stashing it on the bookshelf before taking a quick look in a nearby mirror. She looked great to Adam, but apparently she felt a few strands of hair needed adjustment. "Okay. Ready!"
Adam wished he shared her enthusiasm.
"Weekend chores suck," Nila complained as they walked together. "I mean, we already do enough during the week, right? At this rate, there won't be enough chores to go around."
"Uh-huh."
"At least we can still hang out in the evenings. Hope the weather stays warm. It's pretty miserable when everyone's trapped inside together." Nila rattled on, filling their funeral march with happy chatter while Adam nodded and grunted along as needed. "M-maybe tonight we can…go for a walk? Just the two of us?"
They hadn't gone on a walk together since coming back. More specifically, since the Beowolf attack. He missed them. The casual stroll and conversation. Bumping up against each other. And with the chillier evenings, walking even closer to stay warm. Even stopping in the few blindspots to enjoy each other's company more. Hearing her suggest it should've been cause for celebration, but right now, he couldn't think past the door they were approaching far too rapidly.
"Sure." Not his most convincing performance. Nila's enthusiasm felt a little muted at his lackluster response, but if they made it out of this unscathed, he'd make sure to make it up to her.
"There you are!" Alyssa greeted them warmly from across the room. "You two can sit down. I don't have enough chairs, but you can use the bed, if you want."
Adam tensed as Nila plopped down on the side of Alyssa's mattress. Nothing bad happened, though he didn't fail to notice how close his chair was to Alyssa. She gave him a look, making it clear he should obey…or else.
He hurried to his seat.
"Don't worry. You're not in any trouble or anything." Alyssa's assurance helped Nila relax, even if it did nothing for Adam. "I just wanted to ask a few questions."
"What about?"
"Nothing too serious," Alyssa promised. "You met Sheriff Taylor a few days ago, right?"
Nila perked up a little. "Oh yeah! He came by to check on us after…well, you know." Nila winced at bringing up their runaway attempt. "He just asked a few questions about us. That's all."
"Like what?"
"Mostly about what happened after we left," Nila answered, unknowingly sticking to safer topics. "When we left. Why we went that direction. What our plan was. I told him everything I remembered."
Alyssa smiled and nodded along as if she actually cared. "That's good. Telling the truth is the best option, right Adam?"
Adam watched her before nodding slowly. "Yeah."
Alyssa's smile never faltered. "Anything else?"
Nila paused to think, running through all the questions in her head. "Not really. We talked for a bit, he thanked me for my help, and then asked where he could find Adam."
"Oh? And what did you tell him?"
"I told him we had dinner. In fact, I was a little late because of all the questions." Phew. Safe answers. Nothing she said sounded incriminating, so hopefully they could go now, right? At least Nila, surely. If he had to stay back to entertain Alyssa so Nila could escape, then so be it. Nila raised a finger and added, "Oh! And then I told him he had a tutoring session with you after."
Adam nearly fell out of his chair. He almost wished he had, if only to make a distraction. Instead, he sat ramrod straight, frozen in his seat.
"Did you now?"
"Yeah. I told him you'd been tutoring him for a while," Nila offered, digging the hole deeper. "He said he'd wait until after dinner and catch Adam before his lesson."
Alyssa looked to Adam, smiling as he subtly shook his head as he tried to telepathically plead for mercy. Nila hadn't said anything wrong. Plenty of people knew about his lessons. It wasn't like Nila was trying to send Sheriff Taylor after Alyssa. He was the one to blame! That meddling sheriff had caused all the problems, not Nila!
"Thank you, Nila. That's all I needed to know." Adam gripped his chair tighter, knuckles turning white as he tried to snap the armrests in two.
"Not a problem." Nila stood to leave, giving Adam a tiny glimmer of hope before dashing it with a polite question. "Is there anything else?"
Say no. Please say no.
"There is one thing, actually." Time seemed to stop for a moment. Or his heart. He wasn't sure which. "Maybe you could stick around for a little bit."
"Okay."
"No!" Adam blurted out, jumping to his feet.
"Is there something wrong, Adam?"
"You promised," Adam whispered. She'd answered Alyssa's questions, all while Adam sat there and endured the mental torture.
"Promised what?" Nila picked up on the sudden tension easily enough, sitting back down in concern. Adam wanted to tell her to run. Beg her to leave and never come back. Anything to spare her from whatever twisted plans Alyssa had.
"I did," Alyssa answered, ignoring Nila entirely. "And I intend to keep that promise." But then why- "I said I wouldn't, but I never said anything about you."
Wait, what? What did she mean?
Alyssa passed by him, dragging her hand across his shoulder before closing the door and sealing their fate. Her soft footfalls echoed in his head, heralding his doom as she calmly walked up behind him and draped her arms over his shoulders.
"I thought I'd have our dear Adam show you what we get up to during our lessons."
During their… "No!"
"Yes."
"What?" Nila looked concerned, both for whatever secret she was about to learn and for how intimate Alyssa's pose behind Adam looked.
"You can't-"
"What did I tell you before?" Alyssa demanded, reminding him of what would happen if he opposed her. She leaned in closer, hot breath washing over his ear. He could feel the words brush against his ear as she whispered, "Show her what I've taught you, or I'll make sure you both suffer. Starting with her."
Adam shrank in despair. He couldn't let that happen, but what she asked was unthinkable. He couldn't betray her like that.
"A-Adam?" Nila squeaked. "What does she mean?"
"Oh, didn't he tell you?" Alyssa turned so that her face rested on his shoulder. "Adam and I have been sleeping together for a while now."
"W-what?" The betrayal in Nila's eyes stung worse than any knife.
"Oh, yes. Pretty much every week. Sometimes more than once." Alyssa delighted in the pain on Nila's face, her body pressing against Adam's back. "He never told you? Odd. He told me everything about you."
"Adam?"
"I'm sorry."
"But don't worry, Nila. I'm not selfish. This time, you can have him." Alyssa nudged him forward, making her point clear. "Or, more accurately, he can have you."
Adam slowed to a stop a few steps away, unable to meet Nila's eyes.
"Well, go on, Adam. She's all yours. Don't say I never gave you anything." Alyssa laughed at her own cruel joke.
"Adam, why?" That was the question, wasn't it? Why hadn't he told her.
"Because Adam does whatever I tell him, don't you, Adam?" Adam shut his eyes but didn't refute the statement. "And now, so do you."
"I'm sorry, Nila."
"Enough chit chat. You've got work to do, Adam." Alyssa settled into her seat once more, making it clear she intended to watch closely. "And make it good. It's her first time, after all."
Adam didn't know what to do. He'd already hurt Nila, that much was obvious. But this was too much. Then again, did he even have a choice? Either way, Nila would be hurt, either by him or by Alyssa. At least he would be gentler, though that wouldn't do much for her. After all, it was the knife of a friend that cut the deepest.
"Tik tok, Adam."
Adam briefly considered running. Or maybe he could attack Alyssa and let Nila escape. Between the two of them, they might be able to overpower her. But then what? Even with two of them, no one would be convinced. She would just say they were in on it together. Plus, she'd be right that they attacked her. The moment she told someone, they were both doomed.
Then don't let her. What? How? Silence her. Cut out her tongue. Beat her into a coma. Or, just to be safe, kill her.
He couldn't-
Kill her! Dead men tell no tales. Take back your knife and carve out that wicked heart of hers.
No! He couldn't kill someone…could he? The answer came slower than he would've liked. No. Murder wasn't the answer. She might survive. Or he might not even get the knife and she'd hurt them instead. Nothing was guaranteed.
He didn't miss how his reasons didn't include anything about it being wrong.
Adam stilled as a soft hand touched his arm. "I-it's okay, Adam," Nila lied. They both knew it. "Do what you have to do." Putting action to words, Nila began to lift her top.
Only to freeze at Alyssa's voice. "Nuh-uh. That's not how this works." Nila let go as Alyssa looked at Adam. "That's your job. Oh, and one more thing. You'll need this."
Adam caught the bright red ball she tossed, only noticing the strap on either side when it slapped his hand. He recognized it easily enough. After all, she'd used it on him a few times.
"Don't need her running that mouth of hers."
Adam did as he was told, like he always did. Through it all, he watched as Nila's fear slowly turned to pain. With every touch, every kiss, he was forced to watch his friend break. He tried to disconnect from it all - to endure it the way he did with Alyssa - but he couldn't. Every muffled sob pulled him back to reality. The tears she cried, each one because of him, fell like heavy weights until she had no more in her. But it wasn't the way her ears drooped in resignation that stung the most or how she flinched away from him at every action. Not even her refusal to look at him stung as much as one thing in particular.
Her eyes.
He recognized the look in them. How could he not? They were the same eyes he saw in the mirror almost every day. Eyes that refused to acknowledge the world around them. Eyes that tried to hide the brokenness inside. It was the blank stare that had taken him over long ago. And now, Nila had it, and he'd been the one to cause it.
Alyssa watched through it all, delighting in her disgusting show and pushing for more. The first time he refused, Alyssa hurt him. The second time, she hurt Nila.
There wasn't a third time.
Adam had no idea how long it went on like that. At some point, Alyssa simply decided she'd had enough and told them to leave. Nila shakily put her clothes back on and stumbled through the door. More used to the suffering by far, Adam plodded out behind her. She stood transfixed in the hall, eyes glazed over as she tried to come to terms with what had just happened. Adam had been there before and reached out to comfort her.
Nila jerked away from him, her eyes filled with pain and terror when she looked at him. She trembled under his gaze, eyes watching his hands lest he try to grab her again. With a choked squeak, she turned and ran, never daring to look back. He watched her flee, realizing just what Alyssa had done.
She'd turned him into her.
As if Alyssa wasn't vile enough. For those of you skipping ahead, the short version is that Alyssa decided to get revenge on Adam and Nila by making Adam...take advantage of his friend. Basically, Adam had to do to Nila what Alyssa has been doing to him. That definitely won't come back to haunt Adam...
I'll try to end on some brighter notes, even if it feels a little weird after that ending. The story Erik references is actually my favorite fanfic "Not This Time, Fate" which I am currently rereading in my limited spare time. Realizing on my nth reread just how much it influenced my first work "In RWBY's Shadow." So many parallels that I didn't even recognize. Still a great read and a good balance of humor, angst, and drama that put you through a rollercoaster of emotions.
On an unrelated note, I slipped in the line "evil, rotten bunny" as a little shout out to my good friend and rival EvilRottenBunny, who I met through Twitch streaming well over a year ago. It's her bday month and she's doing a lot of great content to celebrate. If you want to check out a great vtuber, go look her up on Twitch. Also, make sure to give her a shot of "holy water" and tell her Goose sent you. She'll understand.
Of course, I feel terrible shouting her out in this chapter. While Nila looks nothing like ERB's avatar, I did change the character because of her. Nila was originally meant to be super shy, quiet, and withdrawn. I decided to make her a little more stubborn and forceful to better align with ERB, just for laughs. I definitely like Nila better this way and she plays into the story easier, too.
Anyways, enough about her. I promise I harbor no ill will toward my friend and the events surrounding Nila have absolutely nothing to do with her either. On top of that, I yet again condemn Alyssa's actions and behavior in the strongest terms possible. She is a vile demon who I can't wait to be rid of in this story. Figured I'd remind everyone, just to be safe.
Next chapter: Adam is forced to confront what he just did.