Amber: A god's plea

CH 19: Dinner

After preparing a comforting meal of mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and iced tea for Mattheo, along with some nectar lemonade for myself, an hour passed in the kitchen. Curious about Mattheo's well-being, I headed to the bathroom, hearing the tap running. Upon opening the door, I discovered him on the floor, aggressively scrubbing his arm where the dark mark was ."Stop! You're hurting yourself!" I exclaimed, rushing over, snatching the scrubber, and tossing it away. He looks down. I gently lifted his chin with my finger, asking, "Why would you do that?" "I-I..." he stammered. "Mattheo, every time I come in, I can't see you hurting. Sooner or later, I'll get to know. If it hurts, tell me," I urged. He buried his face in my chest, sobbing. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice choked with tears. "For you to be safe and happy, not in pain," I replied, hugging him back. "Why were you doing that, Mattheo? Please tell me." "I don't... I don't know," he confessed. "It's okay. I am here for you, but next time, tell me," I said, pulling away and using my wand to heal his hand. Despite the redness fading, it was evident he was still in pain. I hugged him as he fought back tears. "I'm sorry I froze," he whispered. "It's okay," I assured him, still harboring sympathy for the ordeal he endured. "What did they do to you? Why were you scared to scream, and why would your father lock you up and torture you?"I asked "I didn't want to obey him. He didn't kill me but locked me up, saying it was mercy. First, they felt pity then they stopped, only tortured me. I don't even know how long it was. Every day I said no, they would close another window, beat me up, and throw me across the room. The curses they started after some time. They would come three times, then leave. Then one day, Draco came, after that Lucius came and beat me up so much I could barely open my eyes, or move, or talk. I was scared you would do the same. I didn't know what was going on. Every time I screamed or cried, they would hit me and throw me around more. They didn't even take the curses back. They were going to kill me today; he closed the final window. If you didn't come today, I would be dead .They were getting fed up with the screaming. I don't want to be one of them. I don't want to hurt anyone." he confessed, pouring out his painful history.I hugged him tighter as he cried, and a few tears escaped my eyes. "I won't let them hurt you again. I promise, and I won't say anything if you scream or cry." I wiped my tears away. After a few minutes , I thought the food would get cold "I'm hungry." he whispers "Come, I made food," I suggested . We both get up and I run his arm under cold water and dry it with a hand towel. Then he follows me as I lead him to the kitchen. I serve both of us food and we start eating. After he finishes I ask "Do you want more?" he nods his head as i serve him another plate. We enjoyed the meal together, and after finishing, we headed to the bedroom.As I began to separate the beds, Mattheo requested, "Can you keep them together, please?""Sure," I smiled. I turned off the light, bidding Mattheo goodnight. However, as soon as he lay in bed, he hugged me tightly."Are you okay, Mattheo?" I inquired.He clenched his jaw. "Yes," he said quietly."Don't lie, please," I urged.He shook his head, looking up at me with tears in his eyes. "Where does it hurt?" I asked, he offered his arm."It burns," he whispered.I turned on the light and attempted "Veleur," but it didn't work. So , I grabbed his forearm, absorbing his pain. I clenched my jaw, feeling the intensity. "Is that better?" He nodded, and I could see his exhaustion. He had gone through 87 Crucio curses and was beaten up three times every day. I turned off the light, reflecting on the fraction of pain I had experienced, realizing it still hurt like hell. I couldn't fathom what Mattheo endured."Can I hug you?" he asked."Of course," I replied. The night was restless; I couldn't sleep due to the lingering pain. He hadn't eaten or slept for a month. Using my magic, I ordered my brain to sleep, and eventually, it worked.