Under a Dark Moon [Oneus AU]

Clumsy

Luella never really realized how difficult even basic tasks were on her own. She spent almost an hour and a half lugging three big buckets of water upstairs just to prepare a cold bath for herself.

Nellie used to always heat the water for her before bringing it upstairs, but Luella didn't want to even try to interact with the matches again. It was embarrassing to be seen struggling with simple daily tasks like lighting a stove.

Even though the water was going to be cold, Luella was glad to have a full bath prepared. Cleaning herself at the basin on her vanity wasn't cutting it anymore.

After tirelessly pouring bucket after bucket of well water into the bath, Luella pulled the skeleton key Nellie gave her from her apron pocket and locked the bathroom door. She didn't want anyone wandering in while she was bathing.

She took in a deep breath, preparing herself for the chilly water before stepping into it. Luella shivered once before lowering herself down into the tub.

She sat there for a long while, slowly adjusting to the cool water while staring mindlessly at the ceiling. The sun was starting to go down, and with it, her anxieties began to increase. Things had been relatively quiet, but Luella wondered if that had anything to do with Seoho patrolling the edge of the forest at night.

They were searching for her father and had been for nearly a week, all the while protecting her in her own home. Luella imagined she was more of a burden than anything else, since she was practically helpless in all situations. It caused her to feel guilty each time she had to request their assistance.

But she wanted to stay and wait for them to find her father. Each day that passed made her more and more afraid that he would never be found at all. What would she do without him? Luella would be alone in the world without any guidance, without anyone to lean on.

She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to remain positive. It was difficult when eight days had passed, and her father was nowhere to be found. Luella was growing more and more convinced by the day that he was just dead.

It didn't take long for her to tire of her cold bath. She washed up quickly and efficiently, then stood to climb out of the tub.

Unfortunately, Luella was too distracted by her own thoughts to pay much attention to her movements. As she tried to step over the edge of the marble claw-foot tub, her foot caught the side, bending back, but Luella's body went forward and over the edge anyways.

She crashed to the old wooden floor, slamming her knee into the side of the tub first, then landing on her hip with all the weight of her own body.

Be careful, little miss, Nellie's voice played in her head as she began to cry softly there on the floor, her body aching in several places. Nellie always warned Luella before getting in and out of the tub, since it was so deep. You don't want to slip and hurt yourself.

●}○{●

Everyone else in the house heard the loud thump against the floor. Because they had been granted heightened senses by the Spirit, each and every Bahleen also heard the soft whimpering that followed that thump.

Hwanwoong was the first to his feet, and he went barreling up the staircase with Keonhee and Dongju following closely behind.

When he reached the room the noise came from, he tried to push through the door only to find it locked from the other side. He slammed his palm against his repeatedly, frantically.

"Luella?" He called her name. "Gwaenchanha?"

Luella heard his voice, though she didn't have any clue as to what he was asking her. Hwanwoong was a little relieved when he heard her speak back from the other side of the door, however.