TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR:
IMPLIED/REFERENCED SEXUAL ASSAULT
SELF-HARM
SCARS
CHILD ABUSE
"......thank you, Alec." Fiore spoke, her voice shaky.
Development, Alec thought. This is a good start. He smiled at her.
Alec gently placed a hand on her shoulder as he started to walk up to his house.
Fiore followed behind him and stood next to him as he unlocked the door.
"Well... There is a guest room upstairs, it has a bathroom connected to it so you can take a bath or a shower. But, before you do, I need to put bandages over those wounds. Ok?"
".....alright" Fiore spoke.
Alec brought her to the living room and she sat on the couch. He grabbed an emergency medicine kit from the bathroom and brought it out to the living room.
He opened up the kit and grabbed a few bandages, some rubbing alcohol, and some cotton pads.
He poured some of the rubbing alcohol onto a cotton pad and spoke to Fiore before putting it on the wound on her leg.
"This is going to sting a little bit, ok?"
"I know how rubbing alcohol works, Alec."
Alec was gonna say something about her sassy tone of voice, but the sassiness was watered down by the shakiness and sounded more miserable and defensive than rude and sassy, so Alec decided not to say anything.
As he applied the rubbing alcohol to the wound, Fiore flinched a bit. She knew how rubbing alcohol was supposed to feel, but her mom had never cared enough to tend to her wounds and bandage them up like Alec was, so Fiore wasn't really that prepared.
Alec grabbed a bandage from the box and stuck it onto the wound, making sure the soft part was over the scar.
Alec did this a few more times, making a mental note of just how many wounds were on her legs. He then wrapped some bandages around her knees that were red and scraped.
Grabbing some more cotton pads, he put some rubbing alcohol on the wound on her cheek before taking a white bandage and putting it on the wound.
He did the same for her other cheek wound and put a gray and white bandage on it.
"Alright. Are there any other wounds?"
Fiore was about to tell him about the scars she had inflicted on her wrist, but decided not to. She hesitantly shook her head.
Alec noticed this hesitation.
"You don't have to lie to me, Fiore. If there are any more wounds, I need to know. They might get infected"
"I... I promise. There's no more wounds"
Alec noticed the hesitation in her voice, but decided to shrug it off. Maybe she would talk more later.
"Alright. Uhm... I wanted to apologize, also.."
Fiore froze at this. He wanted to apologize?
"I.. shouldn't have called you a mistake, during the game. I was 30, and I shouldn't have been arguing with a 6 year old girl. And I kind of understand why you voted me"
Alec paused to see if Fiore wanted to say anything, she didn't, so he continued.
"You don't have to accept my apology, just know. I truly am sorry."
"....I forgive you" Fiore spoke. She thought this was a bad idea. But if even one person would offer her an apology, and give her a chance to be loved again, she would take it.
Alec smiled at her and gently wrapped his arms around her. He didn't hug her too tight, not wanting to trigger anything or any trauma.
Fiore normally would have tried to fight away any contact, run away and stay safe. But being the touch starved 6 year old she was, she reluctantly leaned into the touch.
She would never admit it, but she enjoyed this. She couldn't even remember the last time she had a hug. It felt nice.
Wait, no. She could remember the last time she had a "hug". Her mom had given her a hug In Front of their guests to look good In Front of them and prove that she was a "good mom".
That hug didn't feel nice. It felt cold and trapping. Alec's hug felt nice tho. Like the opposite of her mom's uncomfortable hugs. Alec's hug was warm and comfy. She liked that.
"Can you tell me how you got all of these scars?" Alec asked.
Fiore was tempted to tell him. But she still thought it would be a bad idea.
"I fell on some concrete....?" Fiore spoke. She realized her lie sounded very unconvincing.
"We both know that's a lie, Fiore. Tell me the truth. Please"
".....my parents" she mumbled
"What?"
"My parents gave them to me"
Alec froze. He knew Fiore had shitty parents but he never knew they were shitty enough to abuse their own child like that.
Fiore noticed his overthinking and quickly spoke before he could say anything about it.
"Uhm, it doesn't matter. It was a few days ago anyways"
"And you've been on the streets until now?"
".....yeah"
"Why?"
"I ran away. I couldn't take their fucking abuse anymore. I was sick and tired of dealing with it"
"....why didn't you get help?"
"Who would I have asked for help?"
Alec froze again at this. He knew she was right. She wouldn't have had anyone to come to for help.
"I'm... so sorry"
"It's alright. At least I'm not stuck with them anymore. And they won't care Enough to come find me"
Alec pat Fiore on the head a bit.
"Well, it's late at night. You should get some rest. Alright?"
Fiore nodded.
"Thanks for taking me here and not leaving me in the alley"
Alec smiled at her.
"Alright, I'm gonna go to bed. Goodnight Alec, I'll see you in the morning." Fiore spoke as she climbed up the stairs.
"Goodnight, Fiore."
Fiore entered the guest room and shut the door behind her. She sat down on the bed in the center of the room and laid down, only now realizing how exhausted she was. She fell asleep quickly.
