"Are you okay?" asks Habit as he walks into the attic, covered in blood and clothes torn.
"Are you?" Vinny says, then looks startled. I was going to ask that, and he knows that, I'm betting at least. But I still can't bring myself to speak.
"You know me," Habit replies. "What about you two? Y/n?"
"She hasn't spoken since the Rake attacked us," Vinny answers. "She killed it, and now she's ... catatonic."
Habit walks over and kneels down before me.
"Y/ n? Come on, you've gotta talk," he says.
I shake my head. He sighs. "I don't feel like yelling at you, or want to hurt you. I am not going to hurt you ever again."
Promise?
Habit shakes his head and then looks at Vinny. "Can we talk in private?"
I nod and leave Vinny's side for the first time since the attack. I step into the hallway and go downstairs, freezing when I see the dead body of the Rake. It is still bleeding, black goo coming out all over.
But I don't remember killing that thing.
I don't remember the thing coming in and hurting us. I can't remember anything from before. I sit down on the steps and cry. Pain surges into my body from my injuries and throbs and hurts far too much for me to focus on my thoughts. So I just continue crying - pain is an old friend. One I know all too well ...
"Y/ n? Y/n? Are you okay?" Vinny rushes over to me. He gently touches my shoulder. "Hey, sweetheart, it's going to be okay. You saved us. You saved my life, and I thank you for that."
I look at him. And that's when I speak.
"Where is he?"
Startled, Vinny answers, "In the attic. Do you want me to get him?"
"I ... I think I was inhabited. I think that's why I can't remember anything. But I know he'll deny it if I ask ..." I mumble.
"Then we'll find out together, won't we?" he says.
"Really?"
"Of course. Now come on, he missed you."
The prospect of anyone missing me makes my heart leap. I follow him upstairs and into the attic. Habit looks up at me and smiles.
"You alright?"
"Yes," I say softly.
He comes over and wraps me up in a hug, holding me like I might break if held too hard. He smiles down at me. Then he kisses me.
Heat rises in my chest and in between my legs from the contact as Habit kisses me over and over, then guides his lips down my neck and carefully kisses me. I smile against his lips as he returns to my mouth. He holds me close like no one else has and I rest my head on his shoulder.
I hope he doesn't keep this up. Because I might just end up falling in love with him.
