His Abused Mute Luna

Chapter Five

My hand lifted from the water to the bottle on the side of the tub and I sat up, opening the cap and reluctantly sniffing it. I jumped at the unexpected intense scent that tickled my nose, widening my eyes then leaning to smell it again.

It was oddly comforting, my tears came to a stop the more I smelt it. I couldn't stop myself from raising the strange looking bottle to my nose. Jade never washed me with soap, especially with something that smells this nice. She always used rubbing alcohol and cold water.

I tilted the bottle and watched the thick substance drip onto my chest which startled me, causing me to panic and throw the bottle just as the door opened. I widened my eyes and dropped my gaze to the bubbling water, my throat burning as my tears came back.

"Are you having difficulties?" The man asked. I watched intensely when he came over and crouched down next to the bath. He turned off the water and handed the bottle back to me, "do you want help?"

I caught a glimpse of his stubbled jaw but didn't lift my gaze any further, gradually nodding and pinching a strand of my hair, shaking the bottle in my hands.

"You want to wash your hair?" He questioned. I drooped my head until my chin hit my chest, "I don't mean to upset you, but... are you unable to speak?"

My lip quivered and I stilled, flinching when he brought his hand up toward me. I swallowed harshly after he froze, aiming his finger at the bottle in my hands, "the soap, I need it to help."

He's not angry that I ignored him? He wasn't trying to slap sense into me?

The feeling of his hands on my neck made me jump away and tingles of fear shot down my spine.

"I'm just taking off your gauze! I don't mean to startle you," he explained, his hand slowly touched to my shoulder and I stared at his grasp with wide eyes.

His fingers sluggishly trailed up to my neck and I flinched again, remaining on the other side of the tub tensely allowing him to pull the warm square off.

"There. It might hurt when you wash," he warned. I inched closer to the edge to hand him back the soap and he was slow to take it. My eyebrows furrowed and my frown lightened, my mother never hurt me while I bathed. He shouldn't either. Why is he going to hurt me? Is it because I pushed away?

His hands touched my head and my body tightened. I looked at my legs in the water and fluttered my eyes closed when the feeling lightened my tension.

It wasn't painful, it was actually nice... until my neck spiked with a stinging sensation. My eyes ripped open and I thrashed my arms at him to get his hands off. I slammed myself into the wall thinking the pain would lessen, glaring at his soapy hands. My glare was replaced with terror at the sight of his arm covered in red scratches.

"It's okay, I promise! Your wound just got soap in it. I'd never hurt you," he said, a weird piece of me trusted his word while the rest of me wanted to find the furthest room and lock myself as far away from him as I can.

Except I did nothing, watching him wipe his hands over his jeans and head toward the door, "I won't touch you, okay? I'll lay out one of my shirts and give you your privacy. If you need something, knock on the door, the man outside will retrieve me, okay?"

He waited for confirmation but never received it, taking that as his answer and walking out of the bathroom. My mind was scrambled with so much confusion. I hurt him... why didn't he hurt me?

I held my breath and dipped my head beneath the water, running my hands throughout my hair to get the soap out and coming back up after finishing. The man didn't leave my mind so I looked up at the door.

Is he trustworthy? Everything he's said so far has been true and he had countless times to hurt me, yet never doing so. Is he sincere? Does he really mean well? What if he's trying to get me to open up just to crush what's left of me? Nobody's ever taken an interest in me before, this has to be a trick.

He indirectly saved me from Jade, he can't be as bad as her, could he? There's nothing he could do to me now that she hasn't done. Do I tell him about her? Should I trust his word that he'll keep me safe?

The more it think it over, the more I'm questioning... what do I have to lose?

I don't trust him but there's something about him that I'm drawn to. It could be his nice smell or his gentle demeanor. I'm deprived of kindness so maybe that's what it is? Whenever he's near, I want him to go, and whenever he's away, I want him back. I feel unsafe yet safe.

I drained the water and stepped out, looking around me and hesitantly taking the towel. I dried myself off and put the towel back on the sink, walking over to the door and pulling it open.

I was about to get down and crawl before remembering how it annoyed him. A shiver jolted my body and I took weak steps to the bed where there was a black t-shirt.

Did he want me to wear it? He doesn't want me to stay naked? Why would he waste his clothes on me? Will he be angry if I don't put it on?

Deciding I didn't want to risk it, I slid the shirt over my head and walked over to the empty area by the window. I laid on the floor facing the wall and curled into a fetal position, closing my eyes in an attempt to sleep.

Jade always sent me to sleep at midnight and woke me two hours later. I never got to sleep before it, and if I did she'd beat me until I passed out, then continued to beat me until I woke again.

It didn't take long before I felt my consciousness drift away.

𓃥

"Hey," a male voice said softly, my mind slowly registered the hand on my arm and I threw myself off the floor into a sitting position away from him. My body was overtaken with horror and I kept my eyes below his collar, eyeing his hands nervously.

"I'm sorry! I was just confused why you're on the floor," he said quietly. I scrunched my eyebrows and looked to the bed through the dark room.

He doesn't want me on the bed, does he? I haven't slept in a bed since I was nine... before my beatings started.

"Here," he said, extending his hand out and my eye flickered to his slow movement warily. My nervousness grew and I hesitantly started moving my shaking hand to his steadied one.

I placed my fingers on his warm palm and jolted it back at the contact, more fear shot through me and a quick thought that this was a trick ran through my mind.

"You can trust me," he whispered like if he spoke any louder I'd break, keeping his hand out to me patiently. I continued to question if this was a trap.

Regardless, I slowly replaced my hand and his fingers wrapped over the back of it sluggishly. Heated tingles started to form where our skin touched after a few seconds and the feeling was oddly enjoyable, causing my lips to tug up into a tiny smile.

"Let's go," he stood up, gently pulling my hand upward to signal me to stand and I copied. My hand tightened around his and I stared at our feet, a foreign heat filling my face.

He seemed unfazed by my grip as he pulled me toward the bed, using his other hand to move the blankets. He tugged me toward the mattress and a frown quickly overtook my smile as I obeyed, climbing onto the bed without releasing him.

"Sleep here, okay?" He said, taking a seat on the edge and I gave a small, singular nod.

He unwrapped his fingers from around my hand and started pulling away, the pleasurable feeling began to fade and I hastily dug my nails into his skin to stop him.

I don't want them to go away, the sensation is very nice. I've never experienced such a pleasant feeling.

I lifted my other hand to his stilled figure, pressing it on his forearm with no immediate outcome. Then, the same tingles began to show and my smile ever so slightly reappeared.

"Do you feel them?" He suddenly asked, going to place his other hand over the one I had on his arm but my brain instinctively ripped away with a jolt.

"I'm sorry!" He breathed, my eyes followed his hands that went up and hit himself in the face. The noise made me flinch but my eyes were entranced on his features. His hand was rubbing over his eyes in a stressed manner and I tilted my head to get a better view of the rest of his features.

His stubbled jawline was sharp, trailing up to his black hair, the moon shined over his messy strands and made it look silky. From the little I saw, I couldn't help but become mesmerized. I haven't seen a grown man up close like this when he's not trying to hurt me since my father, especially one who's physical appearance allures my eyes. Why do I feel a temptation to stare at him? I normally wouldn't dare to look at anyone in the face after what she's done. I haven't looked at anyone above their lips since she burned my sight away.

He stopped rubbing his eyes and I quickly averted my line of sight before he had time to catch me, another wave of heat flushed my face and I swallowed roughly.

"I will be in the next room so just get some rest and I'll be back in the morning, okay? You're safe here," he reassured, getting off the bed and covering my legs with the thick blanket. My body stiffened in discomfort and fear until he backed away, walking over to the door and opening it, "goodnight."

With that, he closed the door quietly and my body began to relax. I don't know how it's possible but he's the first person I've ever trusted yet not trusted at once. I don't trust that he won't hurt me but I trust everything he says... it's so confusing my head hurts.

I laid down on the squishy materials, falling asleep hardly a few seconds later.