Broken Submission

Freya

"It feels weird being back here."

Amelia stared at the apartment from the doorway. Logically, she knew that it had only been a few days since she was last here, but even so, the apartment seemed... still. Distant.

Derek placed a comforting hand on her lower back, and she shivered.

"What can I do?" he asked, rich green eyes riveted on her. "Do you want to watch a movie, get some food, run a bath?"

In the process of shaking her head, she paused. "Actually... a bath sounds really nice." The hospital, for all its sterility, had left of coating on her skin.

He flashed a quick smile. "Coming right up."

Amelia watched him as he busied himself closing the door and hanging their coats, a fond smile tugging at her lips. Her expression turned contemplative as a thought occurred to her. Having a bath together sounded wonderful. Not that he'd suggested joining her, but the idea warmed her with a quiet sort of romance. But there was a nagging in the back of her mind.

She hadn't really processed what Garrett had put her through. What if this was the straw that broke the camel's back? The last thing Amelia wanted was to invite Derek to join her and then have a panic attack.

The water began to run in the bathroom. Amelia bit her lip, taking a seat on the couch as she waited. Her muscles flinched when she put weight on her abused backside, and—unlike the marks that she usually cherished—knowing that she was stained with the violence of her attack left her feeling violated and used.

Amelia took a steadying breath. "I want this," she murmured aloud. And she did. She wanted to move past the victim part of her relationship with Derek and grab ahold of the relationship part. Disgust rose in her throat as she thought about the weeks she'd spent with him, moping and hiding from the world.

She was done cowering.

Derek emerges from the bathroom, sleeves of his button down rolled up to keep them from getting wet. The bathroom light silhouetted his profile, emphasizing the small bump on his nose. She'd always wanted to bite it. Maybe tonight, she would.

"All done," he said, smiling to reveal his one eyetooth that was just a tad longer than the other.

Amelia stood and walked toward him. His eyebrows twitched as he noticed something different about her stride, the way she was holding herself.

When she reached him, her eyes seemed to grow darker, her motions becoming somehow both heavy and smooth, like she were moving through honey.

"I put—bubble bath—" he mumbled, distracted by the way she leaned forward just enough to brush against him.

"I think we can have fun with that," she purred, tracing her fingers over the front of his shirt.

"We?" Derek's senses seemed to return to him. "I don't think that's a good idea—"

"I'm going to bite your nose."

He blinked, taken-aback. "What?"

She giggled, a touch of blush rising to her cheeks. "I just thought I'd give you fair warning."

His expression was perplexed. "Are you okay? You seem—"

"Derek." Amelia let a touch of seriousness back into her expression. "I want to be okay. And I know I'm probably not, but right now the best I can do is act like I am. And I don't want to be the same shaking, terrified woman that you've known. So I'm working on something new.

"And I just—" she fumbled for her thought, "Can't I just play? For a little while?"

He stared down at her, a mixture of pride and sadness and humor in his eyes. "Okay kitten, let's play."

• • •

Derek wasn't prepared for this turn of events, but if this was what she needed, he would play along. Her genuine grin at his acquiescence told him that he'd done the right thing.

"So," he stalled, leaning against the bathroom door, "nose biting, was it?"

She nodded, absolutely serious. "I've had my eye on your snoz for a while, mister."

"Oh," he raised an eyebrow. "Well as long as you don't get ideas about your chompers around any other... protruding, vital parts of my anatomy."

She took a step forward, and he took one back. The look on her face said that she didn't mind the chase.

"You mean," her hand brushed the front of his pants, and he jumped. "This right here?" She flashed her teeth in a devious grin that made him nervous.

"Maybe I just haven't seen enough of it. I have to be truly, intimately," blood rushed to his lower region when her voice took of a new level of seduction, "familiar with the body parts I consider biting off."

"Off?" he yelped. "We had not discussed off." Unconsciously, his hands drifted in front of the anatomy in question.

She ignored him. "Now that nose I have spent hours studying. I've even sketched it a few times. I'm content with my decision. But this," she dropped to her knees, and the breath left his lungs.

She stared at the bulge in his pants. "This, I need to get better acquainted with."

Derek opened his mouth to tell her exactly how much he would enjoy reintroducing them, when a knock sounded at his door.

He swore. Looking down, he saw Amelia looking at him with a wry expression, underneath which he could see a little of her former uneasiness, the boldness of her act shattered.

He crouched and scooped her up, ignoring the discomfort in his pants. Amelia wrapped her legs around his waist, seemingly happy to cuddle for a moment. Derek walked them into the living room and dropped her on the couch.

He glanced over to check that she was snuggled comfortably on the couch before cracking the door. Derek's eyes widened when he saw who it was.

"Freya?"

So my dudes, I almost forgot that I owed you a chapter today. Terrible, ik. Also, no you don't know Freya yet, and I'm not giving spoilers lol. Let me introduce you to the concept of a cliffhanger. Anyway byeee