Split- The Company She Keeps

Chapter 20- The Cupboard

Life with the door open had in reality not changed, but felt very different. Casey felt like she could breathe. Dennis had been the only persona she had seen since the Beast incident. He kept busy and sometimes she didn't see or hear him for what she was sure was a long time, but it was difficult to judge in her windowless room. Sometimes when he was away, she would leave her space and walk around the home the hoarde had built. It was basic and small but had so much of everyone in it. Sketches on the table where Barry had been designing, the insulin pack in the kitchen cupboard for Jade. Casey often found herself in Hedwig's bedroom, watching the hamster run on its wheel. The bird Hedwig had brought her was taken away while she slept one night, much to her dismay. But it did not belong there like she started to believe that she did. She never opened the locked doors. She never undid the bolts. Because she never heard anything behind them. If the others were in there, they were not going to be in a movable state. And Casey couldn't picture Dennis like that. A murderer.

The sound of the door opening and closing had Casey sit up in her new bed; the old one was only built for a short stay, instead the new one was a real bed with a real mattress. Dennis went into the kitchen first from the sounds of it before heading to her room. Stepping down into the changing area outside of her door, Dennis met her gaze with his usual frown, removing his coat and putting it on a hanger. He then stood by the door and held out his hand. Casey stood, pulling the sleeves from the jumper he had gotten her up her arms. She walked to him and put her cold hand in his roasting one obediently.

Her keeper then led her to the kitchen and through it into what could only be described as a makeshift lounge. Casey had not ventured farther than the kitchen- if Dennis were to suddenly come home, there would not have been time to get back to her room before he caught her. Eyes roaming around the space, Casey spotted books upon books on the shelves, trinkets and ornaments of religious symbols, a mustard yellow leather sofa and a TV that she had never heard on since the doors were opened. The TV. A connection to the  world beyond her keep. Switched off and silent.

Dennis pulled her towards the sofa and let go of her hand, moving to slide back one of the cupboard doors behind the sofa, reaching into it.
"I want you to know where this is. I don't know if it will kill him but it might slow him down... If he comes back." Dennis said, locking eyes with Casey as he pulled the shotgun out into the dim light. Casey swallowed hard, eyes fixed on the gun. He wanted her to shoot him. She had to take control if he ever lost it. He wasn't giving her a key, or an escape route so she could return after it was over- he was giving her a gun. He was giving her permission to kill him. It came to Casey how much trust he was putting in her to not use it straight away to get out of there. But the thought of doing so made her stomach tie in knots.
"I couldn't..." She whispered, shaking her head and taking a step back. Dennis put back the shotgun and closed the cupboard before walking over to her, strong hands falling on her shoulders.
"He will kill you if you don't." Dennis whispered into her hair, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and a shuddery breath leave her body. "The shells are in the lockers down the long hall." Casey said nothing and just nodded, fingers curling and wrapping around his shirt.

Dennis then kissed the top of her head and forehead before leaning to find her lips, crushing into them. Casey left out a quiet whimper as he did so, his arms curling around her waist as hers moved around his neck. He pulled her tightly against him and Casey felt the fear rising in her but forced it back down, telling herself it was different. She was protected. He lifted her so only the tips of her toes were touching the floor, kiss deepening as Casey let her lips part. He let out a low rumbling sound from his chest which had Casey's fingers dig into his shoulders, breath catching at the sound.

Unsteady and uncertain, Dennis walked Casey back into the wall, breathing becoming heavy. She let it happen, understanding more and more what that feeling was, the need that bubbled within her. She ached to be touched how he touched her, even with the fear that sat alongside it. But Dennis had control, nobody was taking over at a time like that. He was so dominant, pushing her up against the wall, clumsy hands moving over her. His hand reached and gripped under her knee, pulling her leg up around his waist. Casey let out a squeak in shock but did not try to stop him, instead wanting him closer still. Her eyes opened to see his own closed tight shut as he let out another almost growl. Casey lifted her other leg herself, pinned against the wall like that she wasn't going to fall. He put an arm around her back and spun them so he was holding her in that position. Casey's heart was erratic and her breathing was broken and desperate. He groaned again and pushed away from the wall, carrying her over to the sofa before his fingers started to squeeze her so much they hurt, her bottom lip met with his teeth, making her eyes start to water from the stinging of it. The last thing she expected was for him to push her off him, falling to the sofa with a thud.

//Hello lovelies. I'm here once again... So this got... interesting... I thought as I re-read this that the mature stamp didn't really live up to its name in ways some may hope. But I've been thinking of how to write this chapter for a while and here it is. so yeah. Hope it tickled your funny bones you dirty rascals! In all seriousness though I have missed this story and all of you, thank you for staying with me. See you soon for the next one.//

//UPDATE I've just seen Glass. It changes everything and it's left me a little broken. So I'm going to figure out my plan with this and I'll be back. You all need to see Glass. It's vital.//