Seraphine

twenty six

Nico

He knew it. He fucking knew it--as soon as she walked into the office wearing those damn glasses, his blood began boiling. 

Derek'd hit her again, and he'd done it in a shitty spot.

Not to mention the choker around her neck that is definitely hiding her bruises. He can't even think about if Derek added more, put his filthy hands around her neck, hurt his perfect little dove--

I'll kill him.

Nico hears Seraphine's little gasp of surprise when she realizes what he's doing, but that doesn't stop him from ripping the sunglasses off and crushing them in his fist when he sees it, a guttural growl tearing through his chest. 

Her left eye is surrounded by purple and blue, the actual eye red with popped blood vessels. It's only a little swollen, telling Nico that she's been healing. It doesn't bring him comfort. 

"Seraphine!" Enzo jumps up from his place against the wall and stalks towards her, his eyes equal parts pissed off and concerned. Seraphine flinches at the sound of her name, and she dips her head. 

"Little dove..." Nico starts, and he pretends not to hear the small noise that comes from the back of Seraphine's throat. He lifts a hand slowly, so she has time to see it, and he relaxes--if only a bit--when she doesn't flinch at his movements. 

He rests his palm against her warm cheek and her eyes flutter shut. He thinks of last week, when he'd boldly slipped his fingers between hers and held her hand the whole way from his bathroom to the kitchen. It had felt amazing, so right, like they were made for each other. 

They were made for each other. He knows it. 

"You deserve so much better than that prick," he finishes, his voice gaining a hard edge as he thinks of Derek. He lifts her head with his palm and swipes his thumb under her eye, catching a stray tear. 

"He loves me," she finally whispers, and Nico groans, his other hand coming up to cradle her the other side of her face. He leans down, pressing his forehead against hers. Her delicate lips part, and she inhales sharply. 

"You call this love, Seraphine? This is--it's--" 

"Torture," Damien offers from his now standing position behind Luca's desk, describing both what's happening to their girl and how they all feel watching her suffer under Derek's hands. 

Seraphine opens her eyes and Nico's breath is stolen by the storm swirling in her ocean gaze. He pulls his head away from her, licking his lips and swallowing. 

He wants to kiss her, to hold her tightly to him and assure her that no harm would ever come to her ever again, not under his care. 

Nico doesn't even notice Seraphine had moved until her trembling hands wrap around his wrists and gently pull his hands away from her face. 

"I should go." It's barely a whisper, but they all hear her. Enzo scoffs and runs a hand through his hair, tugging at the roots. 

"Go running back to your boyfriend? Who hurts you, Seraphine, who almost killed you?" Nico keeps his face stoic at Enzo's assumption, not wanting to give away that he was grasping at straws. 

They're all watching Seraphine's face, and as soon as her eyes widen, they know. 

"H-How did--" 

"We didn't, but you just confirmed it." Luca steps up to Nico, placing a hand on his shaking shoulder. "We're going to the Dean." 

At this, Seraphine freezes. Her eyes dart from one man to the next, and then she's shaking her head. "N-No, no, I can't. I won't. I messed up, I deserve this!" She almost shouts at them, and Nico stuffs his knuckles in his mouth, shrugging off Luca's hand and moving to stand by the window. 

He stares out of it, watching the wind blow yellow, brown, and red leaves from the trees. Fall used to be his favorite season--now, he can't stand it. How many sweaters would his dove pull from her closet to cover the scars, the bruises, the pain? How many excuses would there be? 

He runs a hand down his face and turns to see her and Luca arguing. 

Will she survive? 

"...trying to help, but I'm perfectly fine. I have it under control. Derek loves me, and I love him, and I would never do anything to betray him. I've already done enough damage by leaving with you last week. I would thank you, but this is strictly a professional relationship, and--" he catches the end of Seraphine's rant, just in time to hear Damien laugh cruelly and walk around the desk towards Seraphine. 

"Under control? You have it under control? Is getting a fist to the face your definition of having everything under control, darling? Because it sure as hell seems like you're losing it, Seraphine." 

"Damien," Luca scolds, but Damien doesn't back down, watching Seraphine's rigid frame with calculating eyes. 

They all watch as her bottom lip quivers, before she sucks in a breath, tilts her head to the sky, and steels her spine. She blinks a few times, and when she lowers her head, Nico almost grins at the fire evident in her eyes. If it were under any other circumstance, he would've.  

"Thank you again for your concern, professors, but I really must get started on my work. I would appreciate it if you kept to yourselves over the course of the semester, and I will do the same. Our paths do not have to cross any more than necessary. I will complete all of your tasks, on top of my coursework. This meeting of ours has been very eye-opening. I will see you all in class." 

Nico barely has time to pick up his jaw off the floor before she's turning on her heel and walking out of the room. Luca calls her name, but she brushes him off and slams the door behind her. 

"Damn it, Damien! Why would you go and say something like that?" Enzo instantly turns on the older man, and Nico raises an eyebrow, wondering the same thing. 

"I..." Damien shakes his head, running a hand over his short hair. "I thought I could...I don't know. I don't know. I'm...I'm lost around her. Seeing her like that is killing me," his voice gets thick at the end and Luca doesn't hesitate to step up to him and press a hand to his shoulder. 

"It's killing all of us, brother." Nico offers, and Enzo looks to the floor, nodding his agreement. Luca sighs. 

"All we can do is wait."