Porcelain like you.

19

Ashely sat in the waiting room of the nearest emergency room for hours, clutching her aching arm before she was seen. The doctor guided her to his office gently, recognising her fragility.
"Is it broken? I-I have brittle bone syndrome..." He tuts softly and inspects her arm.
"It's broken yes..." He sighs, her arm was so tender, black and blue. "I am legally required to ask, due to the suspicion of injury, are you in a safe home environment?" She went silent, considering her options, tell this doctor everything, and maybe she'd be saved, or lie, and stay with Brahms. Why would she want to stay, because she promised? Or because she actually wanted to stay with him. Before she could think more about it she blurts out.
"I fell. I dropped my crutches and fell down the stairs that's all." He frowns at her before nodding.
"You say you have brittle bone syndrome..?" She nods and he sighs "I'm sorry to say I don't think that's true."

The news takes time to actually impact her.
"I've done the tests and no, you don't have Brittle bone syndrome. How long have you believed you had this condition?" Ashely stares at her freshly casted hand for a while.
"Since I was about 5 or 6... Why do I struggle to walk then?"
"Your body simply got used to the wheelchair or the crutches. You should try and stop using them okay?" He advises and hands her an appointment slip "come back in 4 months for a check up on your arm." He says to her and she nods, getting up slowly, still at a loss at the news before she leaves and gets a lift home.

Brahms was pacing worriedly, she had been gone too long! It had been hours! Tears well in his eyes as he starts to throw stuff around, he throws the table across the room as well as the chairs, breaking them apart. He roars out in anguish, smashing painting in his way as he storms up to his childhood bedroom, throwing himself in the bed and sobbing into the pillow. He rolled onto his side looking at his mask, the large crack where Greta had broken it. Yet again another woman had hurt him. Then he heard her sweet voice.
"Brahms?" His heart stops, he races downstairs after putting his mask on and sees her, her arm in a cast and looking around shocked at the mess, he rushed over, wanting to hug her tight and spin her around, but was too scared of hurting her again. "Brahms, it's okay... I told you I'd come back to you..." Her voice was shaky, she reached up to hug him but he flinched and moved away. Ashley frowns, almost heart broken, "Brahms... Please hug me..." He shakes his head still trying to move back and briefly points to her cast.
"No Brahms, no you're not going to hurt me..."
"I will, I-I was bad, not gentle enough." He whimpers trying to go away but she grabs his wrist, feeling the ribbed skin where he was burnt.
"Brahms! They told me. My parents lied, there's nothing wrong with me!"
He froze and looked back at her "b-but..."
"They lied, and because they kept me inside, in the dark underfed and in a wheelchair I'm weaker but I'm not sick. Brahms I'm okay... And I came back, for you. I could have ran away, they even asked if I needed saving and I said no because I need you Brahms and you need me." Her voice trembles as it escapes her lips, she pulled him into a tight hug, he allowed it, hesitant before hugging back, his heart beating fast.
"It will take time, but soon I'll be able to walk again..." She whispers into his chest, stroking the cardigan draped across his back. He smiles under his mask and strokes her hair.
"I can still take care of you...?" He asks, in his adult voice and she nods smiling watery.
"Of course, yes Brahms I'll always let you care for me." She giggles softly and gasps when he picks her up and wraps her legs around his waist.
"I'm giving you," he presses his porcelain lips to her forehead, "a nice warm bath." She blushes hard at the way he was acting, the way he was talking, everything about this moment was so out of character, he must have truly missed her, and she missed him, she smiles softly as she lays her head on his shoulder letting him take her away.

He had turned on the hot water and poured in plenty of bubble bath, stroking her hair and humming a familiar tune as it filled, he tests the water before setting her down
"you undress, I promise I won't look when I put you in the bath." He tells her.
"Brahms I can do it myse-"
"No I'm doing it." He says sternly. Ashley sighs hesitantly.
"Fine, I'll let you bathe me, if you take your mask off." He visibly tensed at the suggestion and shakes his head softly. "Shhh, Shhh it's okay, you don't have to do it now, a-and you can keep the light off, but soon okay? Promise me." She gave him the softest puppy eyes he's ever seen, his heart fluttering. He looks down at his feet his hands crossing behind his back as he shyly nods. The girl grins and hugs him. "Thank you... Now, turn around." She smirks playfully and he does. She pulls off her shirt and bra, struggling slightly with her cast, then her skirt and tights, underwear. "I'm gonna be watching your eyes so I'll now if you're peaking..." She warns him and he nods, turning around and reaching for her, she guides his hands to her waist to avoid any accidental touching and he lifts her into the warm bubbling water. Ashley curls up shyly, covering herself with bubbles and making sure her cast stayed dry. He opens his eyes and blushed incredibly hard, immediately kneeling so she wouldn't notice the quickly forming tent in his trousers. Everything became a lot more tense when she realised he'd probably never seen a naked lady, well at least not without spying through the wall. His eyes darted around both in curiosity and embarrassment, but never looking at her body where he shouldn't be looking, not that he would see anything thanks to the bubbles.

His calloused hands were so gentle as they ran through her hair, washing it lovingly, her heart thudded hard at the closeness and tension of the situation, she came to the hard realisation, this man loved her, he was obsessed, and she would have to come to terms with her own feelings .
"B-brahms..." She went to speak but stops herself, "nevermind..." They spent a while with her in the bath, but then the bubbles started to disappear and the water went cold, she wrapped herself in a towel and allowed him to carry her to his parents room, instead of his childhood bedroom.
"Brahms this isn't my room." She points out giggling. He shrugs and lays her on the bed.
"This is better..." He smiles under his mask and gets her a warm nightdress. "I won't look, I promise." Ashley nods and undoes her towel allowing him to help her, though he kept his eyes shut they managed.
"Thank you Brahms..." She kisses his porcelain cheek as her arms go around his shoulders, cuddling him close and resting her head on his shoulder, smiling softly when she hears his heart beat fast.
"You'll stay right... After I'm asleep.." he nods gently against her. She smiles and pulls away, "can I see you...please..." He tenses up and looks around, lifting her up again and walking to the light switch, turning it off and sitting back on the bed, her on his lap.

Ashley takes a deep breath, reaching up to the edge of his mask, his hand grabs her wrist shyly, holding her still for a moment before allowing her. She pulls the mask away, straining to try and see him but it was too dark, she bites her lip, cupping his cheeks and blushing at the feel of his beard, her heart aching when she feels the scars she had guessed where there, from the look of his hand and eye, she gently traces them. Her fingers gently brush over his lips, and before she knew what she was doing, she leant up, pressing her own against his, real and warm like she had craved all this time. Her hands fell to his chest as she kissed him and she felt his whole body tense. Ashley pulls away and his hands grip her hips.
"D-dont stop please..." He whines softly making her blush super hard and giggle shyly.
"T-thats my first kiss..." He didn't believe it, she was so pretty, so adorable.
"Mine too..." He strokes her hair from her cheek, "I find it hard to believe no one has kissed you before..." He leans down again kissing her desperately, a small groan escaping him as he hugs her close. Ashley was quickly getting overwhelmed and pulls away "B-brahms..." She giggles panting and kissing his cheek. "It's late, l-let's sleep." He whines but she cuts him off before he can complain "Brahms it's time for bed." He nods shyly and pulls back on his mask, laying down and pulling her close.
"Thank you Ashley..."