Indebted Love

♡ vingt trois ♡

"Who did this to you?"

Seth grinds his teeth as he sets me in a bathtub filled with warm water. Angel makes room for him and starts picking my clothes from the wardrobe.

"We'll fucking kill whoever laid a hand on you!"

Angel promises, shoving the clothes on the laundry basket and exhaling heavily.

I lean back onto the bathtub, my lips sealed as Seth washes me and Angel walks out the door.

My hands feel limp at my sides. I feel the warmth of the water, my knees sticking out and brushed by the cool air. Even though the sensation is at the tip of my fingers or rather Seth's, gliding over my skin, carefully and gently as if he's washing a newborn baby. I feel as though I'm not there.

Simply not there.

"Jalah," Seth's voice lures me back to the present, contrary to the accusation and anger in his tone the first time he asked, "Who did this to you?"

I looked at him. Mesmerized by the green hues of his eyes, the subtle stubbles on his chin, and the brown goldilocks I love running my hands through. There's a sense of gentleness Seth possesses I haven't appreciated enough of. His cold demands always put me off but now...Now I realize every little thing matters.

"I'm thirsty," I answer him instead, licking my dry lips and following him to pick a bottle of water from the counter by the mirror.

He places the opening on my lips, slowly and gently allowing me to drink without lifting a finger.

Seth decides to leave me alone after that. Not saying much but I can tell that he's thinking of everything and anything that went wrong. I still picture the look he had when he first saw me. I still remember the way he held me as I slipped in and out of unconsciousness. The despair. The fear.

He threads his fingers through mine as he walks me to Angel's and my room (he still sleeps in a separate room). I insisted on walking for some reason. I didn't want to seem like a total burden.

Angel set some clothes for me. Mostly pajamas it seems even though it's past noon now and I push the thought of teaching at the back of my mind.

Seth's nostrils flared as he whispered something to Angel. I hear my name and the rest is intangible.

I dry myself as I sit on the edge of the bed, watching Seth kiss my forehead before leaving the room. Angel picks up my lotion from my side of the bed and squirts some in his hands.

He goes on his knees in front of me, prompting one of my legs on his shoulders, and lotions my thighs and calf as if he's giving me a massage. I think about the way he touches me, the sensual eroticism not necessarily sexual, makes his selfless act more meaningful. Powerful.

The other leg receives the same treatment. With equal love and attention, moisturized like I would've done. I relax into Angel's care, loving the fact he isn't talking or asking what happened yesterday because I'm not sure what to say.

I relish the fact he's patient and attentive to my needs, helping with my matching purple shorts and t-shirt. Angel tucks me into the bed, standing to close the blinds before getting inside with me.

He wraps his arms around me, my arm over his nude chest, sighing in content.

"I'm going to go to school tomorrow," I say after a moment of silence.

I turn my head to look up to him frowning.

"I don't think that's a good idea." He replies, moving me closer to his chest. "You still haven't told us what happened."