Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
warnings: strong language, mentions of bruises, mentions of injury, mentions of sexual assault, ptsd, kidnapping, violence, fighting, crying
song to listen to: in my room, chance pena
~~~~~
"I understand that you regularly don't like being touched after...remembering." Reyes tells me as she walks back over to me, her voice gentle and soft as she puts a squirt of foundation on a blender. I take note of her hesitation with what to call what happened, and I understand it. I don't know what caused them to come back, but all I know is that they were here and that they hurt me again. They were never supposed to be able to do that again. Ever. "I want to let you know that I appreciate the amount of trust you have in me...with allowing me to do this for you."
I force a smile onto my face, since talking as she applies foundation to my neck to hide the redness and bruising probably isn't the best idea. She remains quiet for the most part as she applies it, and I relish in it. I'm not sure what conversation could come out of this, but I enjoy it. I don't know what I'd say. She might try to ask for an explanation, but I don't have one. Reyes doesn't have one. Nobody has a single explanation for what happened five hours ago.
Once Reyes finishes, she walks behind her desk, leaving me sitting on the back of the couch as she goes through a few of her drawers. She mumbles to herself about being wrong, but I don't pay much attention to what she's saying. If I'm being honest, I can't pay attention to it. I can't focus on anything. My mind has been invaded by all of those memories from when I was four to eleven years old, and they won't leave me alone. I'd say I've been trying to push them back into the basement I've been keeping them in, but that would be a lie. I don't have it in me to fight them, to push them back down where they belong.
"Sam explained to Illyana what happened." Reyes informs me, and I look away from the floor to meet her eyes. My eyes dart away as tears form, though, and she takes a deep breath. "You're free to go, Raiya. If you remember anything that could help me better understand what happened, tell me. I won't force you to talk right now. Try to get some rest."
I force myself to my feet, heading out of her office and down the hallway. I grip onto the railing as I walk down the stairs, and I see Dani walking up them. She looks at me, and looks like she's going to say something, but no part of me wants to hear it. Even if she's going to try to be nice, I don't want to hear it. I just want to talk to my sister. I want to feel safe, and right now the only way I can feel safe is if I'm with Illyana.
Dani's mouth opens, but she scans my face for a moment before closing it and continuing up the stairs. I stop walking, slightly confused by that. It's like she knew I didn't want to talk to her. I might not be happy with her due to last night's fight between her and Illyana, so she could have assumed I didn't want to talk because of that, but...that doesn't make sense. Not to me, at least. She was going to say something. She had something in her head to tell me, but she chose against saying it.
