Normal - Steve Kemp x Reader

Chapter Six: Keep Your Friends Close...

Chapter Warnings: This chapter has mentions of violence, emotional abuse, blood, restraints, serial killers/murder, cannibalism...again, basically everything Steve does to people in Fresh is a warning this chapter. And again, Steve Kemp and Nick Fowler being their unhinged and possessive selves towards the poor reader.

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Later that night, Y/N stands alone in her bathroom, staring at herself in the mirror...and also staring at the large, purple marks covering her neck. Y/N drifts her hands up towards her neck, her fingers gently tracing the outline of each one. She turns her head and her neck for a while, trying to find a part of her skin that isn't covered in them. There are more of them than she expected there to be. Despite her attempts to scrub them off and cover them with makeup, they're still there. They're so...big, so bold, and they just won't go away. Y/N scoffs. She's spent so long wanting someone to love her and to have someone to call her own. Yet the first time she has it, she's ashamed, and wants to hide every trace of him.

It's just that the love bites are so noticeable. As she looks at them more and more, Y/N begins to realise that this isn't what she wanted. She doesn't hate Nick or anything. Quite the opposite. Nick is great...sort of. He's gorgeous, firstly. They both have great sexual chemistry together (she has the marks to prove it, after all). And Nick is kind enough to her. When he's having a good day, anyway. But Y/N knows he can switch to cold and unwelcoming in the blink of an eye. She's been witness to it a few times already. Of course, given that her career is working with murderers and other criminals, Y/N knows that Nick hiding his feelings and letting some anger slip out from time to time isn't that bad in the grand scheme of things. However, it still unsettles her every time she sees it. She knows most of her worry is because of her job, since once you witness the full scale of human depravity, you start thinking that everyone is evil, and that some people simply know how to hide it better. And after meeting Steve, Y/N knows that fear is not too hard to believe.

Yet with Nick, it's different. Of course, Y/N has her usual worries about him, but she swears there's something else there, some secret that Nick's keeping from her. And that thought drives her crazy. Not to mention that Steve seems to hate Nick, too. Again, Y/N knows there's a rational explanation for that: Steve is possessive, and he's mad that Y/N is being taken away from him. But despite how much she convinces herself that everything is fine and that she and Nick will work out in the end, Y/N still swears there's something else to it. And a part of her brain is telling her that if Steve hates Nick, then there must be more to him than what he's showing her.

Oh god, Steve. As soon as she remembers him, their argument floods back to her. Even though she knows it never left her brain. And deep down, she knows Steve's right. There is something about Nick that she doesn't trust either. Steve's hurt and angry face reappears in Y/N's mind, and she sniffles. No. She's already cried enough over Steve tonight. She can't cry anymore. Even though she has ruined her relationship with Steve again, this time probably beyond repair. At least, it will be if she stays with Nick.

"Hey." Nick murmurs. Speak of the devil. Nick comes up behind her, making her jump a little. He wraps his arms around her waist and nuzzles into her neck. Y/N moves her neck reflexively, not wanting him to touch or mark her anymore. "You alright? I'm missing you in bed." Nick asks, gently pressing a kiss to her jawline. Y/N shudders. Nick chuckles, thinking he's doing the right things to her. Meanwhile, Y/N is starting to hate the feeling of Nick's skin against hers. Although Y/N hasn't had many romantic partners in her life, she knows that this isn't right. You can't say you're in love with someone even though you hate feeling them kissing you and touching you.

"Nick?" she asks, her voice little more than a soft whisper.

"Hm?"

"Do you...." She trails off, knowing the question is stupid before she even asks it. Because who asks those kinds of questions? Who asks their boyfriend if they love them? She and Nick haven't made it official or anything, but with the time they've spent together, and the things they've done, it's pretty obvious they are together. "Do you love me?" She asks. Almost immediately, Nick laughs. Y/N's face falls.