Village of sorrow ~ Ethan Winters x Reader

Clarity

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Chapter XVII.
Wordcount: 6148

You took a step out of the elevator, iron doors closing back shut with high pitched shrieking.

Blood was still rushing through your ears from the rapid pace of your stuttering heart. What the hell did you just go through? The chase with Mary, the horrible disfigured miscreation, the thing in the well-- you were sure nightmares would follow this grim day, if you were to make it out, that is.

Compared to Ethan, you were holding up rather well- which of course rose some confusion since you hadn't even had any time to acknowledge anything. Maybe it was just the silence before the storm, but you were glad to have somewhat of a level-head.

Ethan himself was glad for the sober mental attitude you were able to keep up, for the things he saw downstairs triggered thick strands of trauma he burried years ago. In a way, he found it painfully humorous how you of all people, were protecting him. In 5 days you had already gone through so much just to accompany and help him; which was a realization that made his heart ache. Not that he would mention it to you. He was too caught up that the night before left you a bad impression of him, of how he would normally treat women, of how he would treat people, how he would treat you.

What would you even think of a troubled father with marriage problems who had lost everything on top of that? No, the thought of you liking someone like himself; no matter what you said the night before since he assumed it was all just the work of some fucked serum- was something he could only humor himself with in his dreams.

"...This looks a lot better than downstairs, no?"

Ethan was gently jolted out of his thoughts by the sound of your voice beside him. "Oh- yeah. A lot better."

The hall was badly lit, old and distressed washed out wallpaper peeling from the walls. This was the same floor from earlier, when you took the elevator down, completely unaware of what awaited you.

Small thuds were heard as Ethan walked up and wrapped his arm around your shoulder. He was still shaken up, but he made an effort to be there for you. "Okay." He breathed, pulling you closer to his form. An attempt to keep you near. "Don't worry, we can do this."

His quiet reaffirmation was another attempt to reassure you that you were truly getting out of here alive. After all, Ethan wasn't one to give up no matter what happened. The deadly charade downstairs with splitting up proved that. He risked way too much to save you back there if his main goal was just to get Rose from the start, no matter the amount of times you called eachother 'best friends' or 'partners.'

But alas, here you were, walking through the halls with his hand keeping you close, both alive and together. Of course you were greatful, and you wouldn't hesitate to thank him a dozen times once you were out of this mansion. "What you did down there was risky, Ethan." You quickly stated.

He wiped some spicks of blood from his fingers and gave you a worried frown. If this was risky to you he wouldn't dare tell you the things he did for Mia. "You think? I've done way worse before."

Your eyebrows went up, looking at the man busy examining the bloody muck underneath his fingernails; which he was visibly cringing at. "Really? You can't tell me it's-"

"Mia," He sighed and looked at you with an expression currently unreadable as you were vastly visualizing what horrors he would've gone through for his deceased wife. "You don't even want to know." He added.

"I do-" You quickly blurted out. It would be a lie if you nonchalantly waved an opportunity to have him talk about his past more away, since he seemed very closed up about doing so. "I mean, I do."