Toast. Her mouth watered, and she swallowed hastily against the vivid sense-memory; warm bread, slightly crunchy, slick with butter and some sweet spice. Her hands closed tightly around the plate before she nodded.
Derek went to the fridge and grabbed her some orange juice, putting the cup down next to her. “Well, I hope this is enough. You’re not allergic to anything, right?” He smiled softly.
His smile made her want to trust him; her memories made her shy away. She compromised by giving him a grave nod and eating his food. He was a pretty good cook — but then if he lived alone she supposed he’d have to be, or starve. And he obviously didn’t starve. She made herself eat slowly, keeping an eye on him all the while.
When she finished, she took her plate to the sink and rinsed it off, obeying some old habit, before turning to look at Derek again. Now would he let her leave?
She just shrugged. Rest? In a strange place, where she wasn’t sure of her welcome, but was sure she was being kept? She supposed she might have dozed off a few times, but what she remembered was the blankness of a white night. Pushing her hair away from her face, she stood up, wobbling a little. Everything felt numb and distant, like it wasn’t part of her body. She crossed into the kitchen to watch him cook, leaning on the counter.
Derek smiled over at her when she came to the counter, his hands moving fast as he got the eggs done. He plated them before he continued with the bacon. It wasn’t long before he finished those pieces as well. He looked at her and handed her one of the dishes. “Do you want toast or anything?”
Toast. Her mouth watered, and she swallowed hastily against the vivid sense-memory; warm bread, slightly crunchy, slick with butter and some sweet spice. Her hands closed tightly around the plate before she nodded.
Everything ached. When she turned her head to look at him, her neck crackled. He seemed blurry, distant, and she blinked at him; the words were just sounds, with no meaning. It took effort to unlock her arms from round her knees, before putting her feet to the floor. After what seemed a long time, the sense of his words penetrated.
She nodded, slowly.
Derek didn’t have to look back at her to know she was hungry. He remembered how she had eaten the night before. He prepared some eggs, his eyes focusing on the food that was being warmed up in a pan. “Hopefully you were able to get some rest.”
She just shrugged. Rest? In a strange place, where she wasn’t sure of her welcome, but was sure she was being kept? She supposed she might have dozed off a few times, but what she remembered was the blankness of a white night. Pushing her hair away from her face, she stood up, wobbling a little. Everything felt numb and distant, like it wasn’t part of her body. She crossed into the kitchen to watch him cook, leaning on the counter.
Hurt and confused, Summer curled up even tighter yet, bones creaking with how closely she wrapped her arms around herself. She didn’t sleep, staring into the dark and twitching at each little sound. Despite knowing there was no one else besides the two of them in there, she didn’t feel safe — she wasn’t sure how she’d displeased Derek but clearly he wasn’t happy with her. So she looked at the dark and waited for daylight.
Derek slept soundly in his bed before the daylight hit his eyes and he was back up. He walked slowly to the kitchen, glancing over his shoulder at the woman who hadn’t moved an inch. “Want something for breakfast?” he asked softly, pulling things from the fridge for the both of them.
Everything ached. When she turned her head to look at him, her neck crackled. He seemed blurry, distant, and she blinked at him; the words were just sounds, with no meaning. It took effort to unlock her arms from round her knees, before putting her feet to the floor. After what seemed a long time, the sense of his words penetrated.
That just earned him another shrug. Even though she was tired, she didn’t want to sleep, not after being startled awake in the bathtub. Curling herself up even tighter, she just watched him, falling into a familiar alert mode with all senses open for danger.
Derek’s eyes narrowed, his patience running thin. “I’m going to leave you be so you can get some rest.” He nodded to himself and got up from the couch, walking off to his bed.
Hurt and confused, Summer curled up even tighter yet, bones creaking with how closely she wrapped her arms around herself. She didn’t sleep, staring into the dark and twitching at each little sound. Despite knowing there was no one else besides the two of them in there, she didn’t feel safe — she wasn’t sure how she’d displeased Derek but clearly he wasn’t happy with her. So she looked at the dark and waited for daylight.
She made a kind of facial shrug, accompanying it with the lift of a single shoulder. She didn’t know how to explain it to him, this conviction that if she wasn’t good enough, if she didn’t behave the way he wanted, he would withdraw his welcome. She still couldn’t figure out why he even cared.
Derek furrowed his eyebrows. He couldn’t figure out what the matter was if she didn’t tell him. “Would you like some space?” He asked, moving to get up from the couch. “I can leave you be so you can get some rest.”
That just earned him another shrug. Even though she was tired, she didn’t want to sleep, not after being startled awake in the bathtub. Curling herself up even tighter, she just watched him, falling into a familiar alert mode with all senses open for danger.
The abruptness of his motion startled her, and she clutched at her head. A stray thought suggested if she could just throw up she’d feel better, but she didn’t trust it. When he came back wth the clothes, she glanced at him, then back to the pile of fabric, and frowned slightly before shrugging.
She did turn her back to him while she pulled on the clothes, wondering what he saw. Then she curled herself back into the corner of the couch, in the smallest possible ball, obedient to his will.
Derek waited for her to appear before he brought a book into his hands. He had picked the least depressing one that he had in his collection. Unfortunately, it still wasn’t very cheerful. He looked over to her with a raised brow. “What’s wrong?”
She made a kind of facial shrug, accompanying it with the lift of a single shoulder. She didn’t know how to explain it to him, this conviction that if she wasn’t good enough, if she didn’t behave the way he wanted, he would withdraw his welcome. She still couldn’t figure out why he even cared.
Her hand trembled as she twisted the doorknob, feeling nauseous from the sudden drop of adrenalin into her bloodstream. His voice had made her remember where she was, but the physical effects of fear would not dissipate so easily. Clutching the towel around herself, water drops running down her neck, she looked up at Derek with huge eyes.
Derek nodded to her, motioning for her to come to him, but she wouldn’t budge. He took a step forward and snatched her into his arms, picking her up and bringing her back to the couch where she could calm down. “Relax, I’m here. You don’t need to worry about anything when you’re with me.” He placed her on the cushions, going to grab Cora’s clothes before he came back and handed them to her. “Get dressed and then I’ll read you a story so you can fall asleep.”
The abruptness of his motion startled her, and she clutched at her head. A stray thought suggested if she could just throw up she’d feel better, but she didn’t trust it. When he came back wth the clothes, she glanced at him, then back to the pile of fabric, and frowned slightly before shrugging.
She did turn her back to him while she pulled on the clothes, wondering what he saw. Then she curled herself back into the corner of the couch, in the smallest possible ball, obedient to his will.
