Vessel X OC/reader

Chapter 13

I stare into space for a moment, and take a deep breath. I pour a glass of wine, and quietly sip it, a few times, before frustratedly throwing the glass at the wall, and pretty much trashing the walls, staining them red.

I walk out, calmly, as if nothing happened, and head to Vessel's bedroom. I knock, but there's no answer.

"He's in the gym, I think."

I turn and see Mateo, and I give him a smile.
"Thank you. I didn't know there was a gym."

"It's just opposite the music room, if you know where that is. He goes there when he's pissed off. What'd you do?" He asks, teasing, but I shrug.

I head to the gym, and I open the door. No point knocking, anyway. He's swinging at a punching bag repeatedly, and hasn't even noticed me. No mask, no paint, his face dripping with sweat, and his hair sticking to his forehead.

It's so hard being a woman. How do I not sit on him right now?

"Vessel."

He doesn't hear me, so I raise my voice.

"Vessel."

He grabs the punching bag to stop it swinging, and catches his breath. He wipes his forehead, and still panting, turns to look at me.

"What do you need?" He asks, sharply.

"I don't need anything. I was going to ask if we could do something. Maybe go out."

He raises an eyebrow.
"Go out?"

"Yeah. Ever had a girlfriend? You take them places."

"You're not exactly a girlfriend."

"Not for long, if you don't treat me well."

He takes off his fingerless gloves, and throws them on the floor beside the punching bag.

"I don't go out, unless it's for something important. Religion, politics, that sort of thing."

"Oh, fantastic. Then it'll be a nice change for you."

"I'm not going out. What do you want to do?" He asks me, and folds his arms.

"Anything. I'm bored."

"You wanted to get fit, right?" He asks, and throws me the gloves. I look at them, and put them on, carefully.

"So let's see what you've got." He says, and stands directly behind me, carefully adjusting my stance.

"Punch from the waist. Angle upwards, like you're hitting someone's chin." He says, quietly, but against my ear, probably trying to be hot, and definitely succeeding.

"Good." He says, as I throw a punch. "But let's fix your stance. You're stood still, like a rock. One foot in front of the other."

I do as he says.

"Step into the punch. You get more momentum, you'll do more damage. Once you're done, step away."

I practice throwing a few punches, and he steps away to give me space.

"Perfect."

I get my breath.
"What the fuck? I can't breathe already "

"You'll get used to it." He says, with a smile. "Practice every day. You've got plenty of anger suppressed you can use to build your strength up quicker."

"I'm not an angry person." I say, and fold my arms.

"Oh, of course. My bad. I must've got you confused with the crazy bitch who broke my rib and threatened to kill me."