BEN Drowned x Reader

Part 15

One training montage later, and I've actually become decent at throwing knives. I'm not nearly as good as Kate, but I'm at least hitting my targets, and I've figured out how to land the blade into the target instead of the knife just bouncing off and falling into the dirt. Kate said tomorrow we'll work more on my aim and she'll bring a bullseye for us to work with.

We also worked a bit more on combat training. She's taught me the proper way to throw a punch, a kick, to choke someone, and other useful things like where to hit someone to knock them out. She showed me a place on the back of the skull that would save me trouble if I could hit it with my bat. On top of all that, we sparred a little bit to get me used to close combat fighting so I can use the techniques I learned in a real right. As Kate has said before, my reflexes suck, but they're better than they were a few days ago. I'm learning and getting better, and that's enough motivation for me to keep going.

"Okay, I'm tired. Wanna go back to my room and play Super Smash Bros or something?" Kate suggests.

I groan, rubbing the soreness out of my shoulders. "I should probably stay here and practice a bit more. but I'll join you later?" I offer. She gives me a thumbs up and a toothy grin before turning around and jogging back to the mansion. I stretch out my arms and legs as I watch her leave, waiting until she's out of view. Once her silhouette vanishes, I start towards the tree I was throwing at earlier and pick up a rock beside it, then chip away a spot in the bark, no bigger than a golfball. This will be my target.

I will master this. For Snickers. For my parents.

It might also be nice for Ben to see me as more than his proxy, but as an equal. Maybe then he'll notice me for more than a servant he happens to get along with. Maybe he'll start to see that I'm strong, capable, and worthy. But this isn't about him. His acknowledgement would just be the cherry on top.

I throw the knives repeatedly, only stopping to pick them up off the ground or occasionally stretch my shoulders and wrists. I throw until the cat-puke orange sky turns black and only the full moon illuminates my target. I throw until I have to strip and jump into the ice cold river to keep me awake.

I only leave once my aim is so good that I can hit the target with my eyes closed.

That time comes around 2:30am, according to the clock on Ben's night stand. I half-walked-half-jogged back to the mansion and barely made it up the stairs without collapsing since I was so tired.

I quietly grab a change of clothes, slap myself awake, and go to the showers to rinse the sweat and dirt off of me. I don't know if I'll be able to stay awake, but I'm hoping a cold shower will help me wake up, at least enough to make it back to Ben's room.

When I open the door to the bathrooms, I'm met with the most beautiful singing I've ever heard. I've never heard something so lovely. I don't recognize the song, but the melody is enchanting. I feel like I could listen to it forever. The voice gently laps over my ears like gentle ocean waves, the symphony humming in my head and numbing every emotion and thought that previously resided there.

Feeling like I'm in a daze, I sluggishly walk around the corner to see the source of the symphony, and standing in front of the mirror (it seems like she's doing a skin care routine) is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. A beautiful face to match a beautiful voice. I'm too in awe to even be jealous.

She sees me out of the corner of her eye and immediately stops singing, slapping her hand over her mouth and staring at me with wide, shocked eyes. Her reaction confuses me until the illusion falls away and I finally recognize her.

It's Serena.

"I'm so sorry! (Y/n), right? Are you feeling okay?" she asks me in a panic. I'm surprised she remembers my name, considering she only cares about Ben when I'm present. The annoyance bubbles up so potently that I wish I had my throwing knives on me so I could throw one at her.