Sᴡɪᴍᴍɪɴɢ ɪɴ ʀᴇᴅᴅɪsʜ ʜᴇʟʟ. Eᴜsᴛᴀss ᴋɪᴅ.

9. Heartfelt Preparations

Needless to say, you called a cab home that night. The second you got home, you took off your clothes, sat in the bathtub with the bottle of champagne Thatch sent and cried.

But that was a few days ago. You still haven't recovered from his words but you couldn't disappoint your father. You sat in the bathroom at his mansion as Thatch carefully did your hair. Robin had did your makeup to fit your dress nicely but you hated it now. You didn't want to even wear red.

You had a dull look in your eyes, no matter how much they tried to cheer you up. His words had taken a toll on you. Reluctantly, you wore the dress with a touch of heartache.

Thatch added in a small rose to your hair and rubbed your shoulders comfortingly.

"(Y/N)...please. Don't be so upset. Eustass is missing out on you and tonight is your night to show him you can find someone better." Thatch encouraged you.

You shrugged and got up from the toilet seat and walked out, approaching your father as you dusted off your dress.

"Is this good enough?" You asked.

"My oh my Hyde! Yer' the most beautiful girl any man could lay his eyes on. Don't let Eustass get to yous, yer too beautiful to cry." Your father said. His words put a smile on your face as you sat down next to him.

You looked at the photographs in front of him. They were of you when you were younger. As a kid, you tried to kill him. You hated the world and everyone in it when you were younger. That hatred still stuck with you even as an adult but it wasn't as fiery.

"Papa, why did you even adopt me?" You asked.

"If you must know..."

—

You sat in the orphanage, muffs on your hands, preventing you from grabbing anything or using your hands. You were sitting in the corner of the playroom, far from everyone else.

You only had a stuffed whale by your side. Nobody dared to approach you. The staff avoided you as whenever they tried to interact, you'd scratch and fight back. Recently you started to bite them because they restrained your hands.

You were cuddled up on a beanbag, holding onto the stuffed whale as a large man entered the room. The woman was guiding him around, introducing everyone to him. She slowly went towards you but stayed far enough from you to not endanger herself.

"Well sir...this is the last one. Her name is Jekyll."

"Why do yous keep the lad over 'ere by herself?" He questioned.

"We don't, she prefers to be alone. It's best to stay about five feet or more away. She's always been a fighter and recently started to bite."

He seemed intrigued. He chuckled and approached her, crouching down to the younger childs level.

"Ello' lass. Tell me about yerself."

"...im six. I like whales..." That's all you could tell him.

He patted your head and ruffled your hair. Surprisingly, you didnt try to tackle him. You didn't want to interact and didn't bite him until he bled.

"I'll take her."

"Oh!— that's wonderful news!" The woman said, ushering the man out of the room.

You sat there, your eyes turning dark as you watched him exit. You already hated this man.

—

"Ye stuck out to me.Yous didn't suck up to me and you were a fighter and still are. I don't regret a single thing. I cherish ye a lot Hyde." Your father said.

Your name wasn't something you liked. You didn't like to be called Hyde but it was better than Jekyll. He gave you your name and Jekyll became your middle name. He caught onto what it's origins were and changed it.

They called you the devil child back in the orphanage because of your parents and your name. When your father had adopted you, it was practically hell.

Everyone crowded you, determined to get to know you but all you wanted was for your father to be dead. You tried to kill him, tried to make him get rid of you, make him hate you.

Nothing ever worked, he continued to press on and love you. He trained you, protected you, cared for you. Something you didn't have until he came into your miserable life.

You let out a happy sigh and hugged his arm.

"I don't show it much, but I'm incredibly thankful. You've hid me from things that I didn't need to know as a child and you protected me even after everything I tried."

"Of course lass. I shouldn't be a father if I can't handle a brat like yerself." He grinned.

You smacked his arm playfully before he erupt into laughter, pulling you closer to him. You laughed with him, your sad mood fading.

It was just a few hours before the party and you felt like you were in better spirits now than before.

He knew you so well. After all,

He was the one who loved you most.