introspective isolation! ;tanner fic;

three

The third time you woke up, it felt different. 

Besides the telltale drowsiness and foggy memories, there was a hint of… bliss? 

Your eyes fluttered open, "...what?"

"Welcome back." 

Your head swayed back and forth testing its weight. 

"My neck… hurts," you said quietly. There was a circle of sunlight on your chest from the window, and if you were to guess, it hadn't been long since your last sedation. The thought was fleeting, however, and it was most likely the results of the drugs your captor had given you. 

"I would like to apologize about earlier. I realize that this must be a very stressful situation for you considering the circumstances. But you must understand, I didn't take much time with the last woman I crossed passed with," you heard his voice from behind, inching his way closer to your ear. Fear sprouted in the pit of your stomach, but the feeling was heavily muted. 

His hands were warm, you could feel them through the nightgown you wore, and he inched them towards the corner were your shoulders met your neck. 

The man squeezed there, just a little, as if to garner a reaction from you, but you didn't give him one. 

Unsatisfied, you felt him unbutton the buttons on your back and peel the top of your gown forward, exposing your bare shoulders and allowing his devious hands direct access to your skin. 

When he put his hands down again, he started to rub the area, and you shook your head with displeasure. 

"Don't touch me..." 

He squeezed hard and you grunted quietly in pain, the drugs making you complacent as he began to rub the tension in your neck without warning, sadistically drawing small sounds from your lips. 

"You see," he began, his voice hinting at how much he was enjoying this predicament, "the last woman I visited had to be... dealt with... faster than I had liked." 

Barely registering what he was saying, you lulled your head back to face him, "I hate you."

He slowly blinked at your statement as he looked down. His eyes trailed over your body, from the light that projected onto your chest, to your exposed collarbones up to your lips, and lastly, your half-lidded eyes and blown out pupils. 

"You don't mean that," he said softly, "you haven't even had the chance to know me yet."

"I mean it," you blinked back at him. "I hate you."

Tanner was smitten; he knew then that the woman in front of him would be one of his favorites. 

You hissed when he squeezed the spot again and you jerked your head to the side. He let go of you, petting the top of your head for a moment before he sat down in front of you again. 

"You received a letter in the mail," he said, taking an envelope out from his inside pocket, "I haven't read it yet."

"Good for you."

"Oh there's no need for sarcasm." 

"Or what? You'll kill me?"

He tilted his head, "I could do something much worse than kill you."

The threat went over your head, the corners of your lips rising as a giggle slipped out, slowly building until you found yourself in a laughing fit. 

Tanner almost looked confused, but quickly turned back to his old self. "Oh yes, hysteria: one of the side effects of Diazepam."

"You gave," you said between laughs, "you gave me that?" Breathing in and out deemed harder than you had thought you tried to stifle your little girlish giggles.