Broken & Beautiful (Private o/o)

"Okay, rude." Matteo huffed, obviously not too upset. "I named her after a character's pet from a book series."

She tilted her eyes. "Get over it. And that's more understandable."

"It's a good name either way." He huffed, followed by muffled cursing as he stubbed his toe. "Where did that counter come from?"

She laughed. "It's been there, stupid!"

"Rude!" He continued to grumble as Chainsaw crawled up onto Robin's lap and curled up. Eventually, he came out with a glass of orange juice and a bottle of Advil.

Robin smiled and stroked the cat gently. "I think she likes me!"

"Huh. She normally doesn't take too kindly to people as a whole. Count yourself lucky." Matteo said, setting the glass and bottle down on the coffee table in front of her and plopping down into the one armchair.

"Very," Robin replied with a grin, but it fell from her face as she realized how untrue that was.

"Drink the water, and take the Advil." Matteo said, giving her a small smile. "If you're hungry, let me know. And the bedroom down the hall, on the right two doors down, is yours for tonight."

Robin shook her head playfully. "I won't move. I'm not going to loose the trust of this cat."

"I'm sure she'll follow." Matteo said with a laugh, kicking off his shoes and shrugging out of his jacket. "She's decided she likes you."

"I can't risk it," Robin giggled. "You know how cats are.'

"Ugh, don't I." Matteo wrinkled his nose at his cat, who let out a 'murp' in response, looking him directly in the eyes.

Robin laughed. "Hopeful you do, but you never know."

"Careful with your shoes. That little shit loves to steal 'em." Matteo said, shaking his head as he crossed his arms with a dramatic huff.

Robin shook her head and rubbed the cat's ears. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot." Matteo said, looking up from his phone as he checked on his friends that were conscious.

"Well, let's just say I don't look the best right now," she began, smoothing her messy hair as best she could. "Why did you pick me up? You knew nothing about me. Hell, you still don't… So why?"

"Like I said, you looked like you needed help." He said, as though it was obvious. "And I'd like to think I'm a good person."

Robin looked a bit confused still. "I've never met anyone like you, Matt," she murmured.

"I hope that's a good thing." Matteo said, tilting his head as he studied her.

"It is," she answered, absently fingering her neck.

"That's good." He shot her a smile, before looking to the window. "Want me to let you get some sleep?"

"Maybe… In a minute," she mumbled. "Do you have a bathroom?"

"Maybe… In a minute," she mumbled. "Do you have a bathroom?"

"Yeah." He nodded, pointing towards the hallway he'd pointed out earlier. "Across the hall from the bedroom."

She nodded. "Excuse me," she whispered to the cat, easing it off with one hand and feeling her throat with the other. She hurried into his bathroom and shut the door quickly.

He frowned, looking towards the door as Chainsaw moved from the couch to the arm of the chair he was in, prompting him to worriedly scratch behind their ears.

Robin moved her hair aside. Along the sides of her throat were marks – bruises where his fingers had pressed into her skin. He held her throat to keep her there, so she couldn't escape. She winced.

Matteo waited a few minutes, before standing and walking to knock softly on the door. He had made sure his footsteps could be heard, but weren't too heavy. "Hey, you alright in there?"