Under The Painted Sky (O/O CLOSED)

At first, Eden was at peace, even if it was a little. Then she felt a hand on her knee and she fell under, revulsion coursing through her. Her skin burned with the touch, bile rising to her throat. She immediately moved away, recoiling in fear. Her eyes snapped open in panic, hands reaching out to touch her eyes. No, no blindfold. No binding. Her breathing was heavy, her heart beating with intense, indescribable fear, but she managed to calm herself down when she realized one thing.

Sterling. It was just Sterling. It was a gentle touch, not one to hurt, not one to claim. It was harmless. Eden exhaled deeply, hiding her face in her hands. She hated this. She hated this so goddamn much. How on earth would she explain this?

“No, I’m sorry,” she shook her head, shaking her head. “I just—I’m not used to it. The touches, I mean.”

It was both a lie and the truth. She wasn’t used to being touched like that. With gentle hands, wanting nothing more than what she could offer. But she also wasn’t used to being touched, either. In any way, she wasn’t used to it. It repulsed her. It sickened her because it reminded her of his vile touches on her body, controlling and demanding. Those very hands of a person who claimed he loved her.

Eden hesitantly reached out to touch his sleeve, still looking away from him. “Don’t let this change your opinion of me,” she almost pleaded quietly. “Please.”

Eden’s grip on his sleeve tightened. If only he knew… if only he knew just how deep it ran. He wouldn’t look at her the same.

“Well then, I’m glad about that,” she murmured. “I’m glad about that…”

And then his words registered in her brain. I’m not leaving you. Was that something mere friends said to each other, with that emotion in their tone? What were they doing, really?

Eden finally let go of his sleeve when he parked the car, stepping out on shaky legs with an aching body. She walked to the door and unlocked it, stepping inside and waited for Sterling to do the same. Her brother wasn’t home, which made it all the better.

The second Sterling stepped inside and the door closed behind him, Eden wrapped her small arms around his waist, holding him tightly, breathing him in.

And the second she did that, the second she felt him pressed against her, the monsters rampaging in her mind settled back down in their cages. His arms felt like home.

Though Eden knew it wasn’t easy for him to hug her back with his food in his hands, he did it anyway. It made her heart flutter, especially with the way he held her close and tight. Especially when he buried his face in her hair and breathed her in.

Eden exhaled, her eyes closed, relaxing in his hold. It was so easy for him to make her comfortable, wasn’t it? Though sometimes what he did made her feel like she was drowning, he more often pulled her out of it.

“Thank you,” she murmured, her face in his chest, fingers gripping the back of his shirt tightly.

Eden leaned into his touch, humming in agreement. She'd grown so used to the feeling of his mouth pressing on her head. Sometimes it felt like he knew she wanted him to do that.

"Eat quickly, then," she murmured. "So we can spend the rest of our time doing other things."

At his words, explosions exploded in Eden's chest. She scowled at him, though she knew she had set herself up. "I hate you so much, Sterling," she muttered under her breath. "You and your dirty brain."

Eden's scowl hardened at his wink, but she couldn't help the faint blush that coated her cheeks. Damn him, indeed. At his next question, though, she dropped the scowl and looked away, running a hand through her hair. "I don't have much of an appetite."

And throwing up at even the slightest of provocation doesn't sound too inviting.

Eden looked at him before sighing again. “Maybe I’ll just get a fruit or something, if that makes you stop worrying.”

Eden shook her head and made her way to the kitchen, opening the fridge. She pulled out a box of strawberries and took two of them out, washing them and cutting off their leaves. She walked back into the living room, taking a small bite out of one, taking a seat on the couch.

“How much time do we have?” She questioned, peering up at him from her position.

Eden nodded, laying back down on the couch, her feet hanging in the air, chewing softly. “Yeah, okay. Twenty minutes. We don’t have fourth block together.”

Eden swallowed her bite, closing her eyes, feeling a little sick. She took another bite, anyway. “Probably nothing,” she murmured. “Hanging around with Razor.”

Or in the shower. Wallowing in self-pity. Who knows.

“Ah, the algebra one?” Eden closed her eyes, exhaling through her nose. “We could. I have one test next block, actually.”

Eden hummed to herself. “I’m actually done with all the reviews he gave us. I had nothing better to do.”

“That works for me,” she murmured. “It’s quite easy, actually. Especially if you have a graphing calculator. Do you have it? I don’t think I’ve seen you using it.”