Crave (Crave: 1) (FINISHED)

14 - Oh, my god. She's such a child.

"Luna," Elijah said, pinching the bridge of his nose as she came out from the bathroom, "what the hell are you wearing?"

She twirled, making the ends of her pink maid costume spiral around her. Before she stopped and he raised his brows when she hopped and landed.

She was wearing one of those light pink maid cosplays, looking as if it was handmade, and she also had a headband that consisted of a maid-like fabric and cat ears.

Luna stuck out her hands which had paw-like gloves on them. "It's national cat day. Meow."

Elijah rolled his eyes.

Oh, my God. She's such a child.

"Did you have to wear the maid costume?" he questioned in concern.

She hopped again. "Yes, meow."

His eyes dulled. "Are you going to say, 'meow' all day?"

She nodded. "Yes, meow."

His gaze darkened in annoyance. "Well, stop it. Or I will kill you."

"Okay..." she said sadly, shoulders slumping. "Meow."

He shot her a look.

"Last time, I swear!" she argued.

He only sighed, shaking his head. "Whatever. I have stuff to do today anyway."

"Can I come with?" Luna questioned, eyes glimmering.

He only regarded her. "I'm not babysitting you today, Luna."

She jumped again, clearly not offended at the question. "I can babysit myself! Can I? Pleaaaaaase?"

He shook his head.

"Pleaaaaaaaaaaase? I wanna go with my husband!"

"And I want a million dollars," he replied. "Sadly, we all can't get what we want."

"Yes, we can!" she argued. "We can rob a bank and get you a million dollars!"

He chuckled.

"Pleaaaaaaaaaaase? PLEAAAAASE?"

"Fine-fine," he replied, shaking his head. "Come on, then."

She jumped again, but still wasn't smiling. "Yay!"

Elijah just caught his jacket and tugged it over his shoulders, looking to Luna who was staring at him curiously.

"You're not taking off the costume, are you?" he said.

"Meow!" she replied, shaking her head as a response.

He only pinched his nose. "You drive me crazy sometimes."

"I drive me crazy sometimes," she replied. "I'm horrible."

Something inside him shattered.

His eyes softened. "Luna... don't say that."

She blinked. "Why? You get frustrated with me a lot."

"That doesn't mean you're... horrible," he replied. "Don't demean yourself like that, okay?"

She only parted her lips, nodding.

"Speaking of which," he said, turning toward her. "Last night...."

Her eyes darkened.

"Is there... something you're not telling me, Luna?" he wondered.

She shook her head. "No."

"Are you lying?"

"No."

His lashes lowered when he decided to just say it. "Has someone hurt you before?"

She was silent but looked to the floor.

"Luna."

"No."

He sighed. "Then why did you shield you face when I reached out to you?"

She was quiet.

"You do know what sign that gives me?"

She never replied.

"Luna," he said with a leveled tone, "who hurt you?"

She shook her head. "Nobody. I'm all alone."

"Okay then," he replied, sensing her loophole, "then who hurt you in the past?"

She sputtered her lips, clearly annoyed.

"Answer the question, or I'm not taking you with me."

"No!" she cried, jumping in disapproval. "I want to go with you!"

"Then tell me."

She stopped jumping then, and she gazed down at the floor suddenly afraid.

"Luna..." he whispered.

"It was... the master," she whispered.

"The master?" Elijah echoed. "What is he? Some orgy lord?"

"No..." she whispered.

Silence for a moment.

"Elijah...?" she whispered.

"Yes?"

"Remember that memory you saw...? Of the man that you killed?"

"Yes."

"Well... he was the master's second-hand man," she explained. "I originally wanted him dead because the master let him hit me." She was quiet for a moment. "The master did much worse, though."

His eyes darkened as anger swelled up his throat. "Who is this 'master'?"

She gazed up, eyes dulling in fear. "I don't know his real name... but he's in charge of a large chain of stores and restaurants. He took me in when my parents died... but later I found that... he killed them. And he... turned me."

Elijah's eyes darkened more. "What did he do, Luna?"

Her expression faltered, and she looked slightly uncomfortable as she turned around and lifted the back of her dress, Elijah about to yell something before he saw she had shorts on.

Luna got onto her knees and leaned forward, setting her forehead on the ground while showing him her bare back.

His throat constricted when he saw the millions of scars scattered among her skin.

They looked painful... Some clearly were from cigarettes whereas others were from whips.

But there were... so many... from so many... methods.

No wonder she went back and started acting like this... like a child.

It was trauma.

Her brain was protecting itself.

The moment he saw her shaking, his lashes lowered, and he stepped over to her and knelt down.

She winced when he ran a finger on a large scar slashed vertically down her back.

When he heard her soft whimper, he stopped, and then pulled her dress back down.

"Sit up." He gently patted her back.

Luna listened, struggling to a sitting position as she stared up at him, the familiar sparkle of curiosity in her eyes.

He nodded to the door. "Let's go."

She stood shakily and stumbled over to him as he started to the door.

Elijah stopped when she caught his hand, hugging his arm to herself.

He gazed down at her, brow raised.

She only stared up at him, eyes glimmering.

Elijah sighed, shaking his head before stepping out the door with her.

That goddamn maid costume. Jesus Christ.