Tempting Sin

Self-Control

Sin, as always, woke up at 4. The room was shrouded in darkness as the sunrise was yet to be. He got up to sit and frowned at a bitter taste coating his tongue. However, his confusion was dispelled by the hazy memories that resurfaced a moment, causing his eyes to wander around the room until he spotted her sprawled on the chair. Her form a silhouette in the dark. Resting his head against the headboard, he kept staring at her. He couldn't see her properly but still his eye refused to look away from where she was.       

The girl was surprising. Instead of harming him or letting him be, she took care of him. She tended to his wound, even though, it had worsened his condition but still, she tried. He could tell she had never seen, much less treated a bullet wound before. Too innocent for his world. Way too nice for her own good. And way too lovely for his own too.

Turning on the lamp, he got down from the bed and approached her. He had seen her sleeping many times before. It had slowly become one of his favorite pastimes. The fever had almost receded but he could still feel its effect as he exerted force to walk. Leaning forward, he hovered over her sleeping form. An amused smile lit up his face as he observed her weird posture- She was sprawled across the chair and the floor, her limbs splayed out in all directions, saving for the dislocated one. Despite her awkward position, she looked strangely cute. 

Reaching out with his hand, he adjusted her arm in a comfortable position. While doing so, his gaze landed on the small cut under his lips and a thought crossed him. He wondered if she was aware of it. It was too small and faint to grab attention. Only those who have observed her up close can see that. And he had studied her face closely countless times- seized every opportunity to do so. He had committed her delicate features and scars to his memory. Had kissed them too. There was a strange allure in looking at her, so strange that he couldn't fathom it himself. 

He straightened to his full height and retreated a few steps before turning around and making his way out to the balcony. Given his health condition, he shouldn't be smoking but he pulled out one anyway and lit it up. Sending out a whirl of smoke into the air, he stole another glance at her through the window. She was deep in her slumber, carefree, relaxed. He didn't know what being relaxed meant? He didn't remember when was the last time he had felt relaxed. He always had the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders. With an army of enemies watching his moves, he couldn't afford to lower his guards and just relax. He couldn't afford to trust anyone. 

And yet he trusted her last night. He swallowed the pill she gave him without inquiring. He let her take care of him.  

He turned his face away from her and fixed his eyes on the crescent moon in the sky. She didn't have it in herself to harm someone. He had already realized it the day she had begged him to not kill that cockroach even though she was shit scared. A compassionate being she was- another weak trait. If she had been born in his world, she would have died long ago. 

After finishing smoking, he went to his study and opened the dressing. He had to admit, the woman had done a pathetic job of treating his wound, hence the fever he got. It was beyond him as to why he asked her to treat it. After cleaning his wound thoroughly and applying the ointment, he wrapped a fresh gauze around it. 

.............

Nivi woke up, feeling the weight of sunbeams pressing against the back of her closed eyelids. She shifted slightly only to groan in pain. Her hand flew up to cradle her sprained neck. 

"Good lord," she hissed while gently rubbing her neck. She slowly got to her feet, careful to not hurt her damaged part, and turned her body towards the bed. She sighed in relief when she found it empty. He must have left.  

The room's floor was a mess with his scattered clothes and blood stains. Now encrusted, the stains looked even more disgusting. Ignoring the bile rising from her chest, she made her way towards the bathroom.