tw: sexual harassment, discussions of sexual assault and violence.
Due to Newt's punishment, Vince had ordered him to work during his lunch break today, meaning we couldn't eat lunch together like we planned.
While it definitely got on my nerves, Newt's as well, that also meant that I could shower earlier rather than later. So, while everyone was on their lunch break, I seized the opportunity to take a shower while no one else was in the wash rooms.
I much preferred that to when they were chock filled with people – I like the quiet.
I turned the corner to reach the path that led me to the wash rooms – passing a few people on the way as they gave me a frightened smile. Their faces alone prove to me why people just aren't ready for me to stop hiding the Wicked mark. It'll just spook them, and that's not what I want right now.
So, for the meantime, I've decided to keep the long sleeves and cover up the tattoo – for everyone's piece of mind.
That doesn't mean I didn't like what Thomas said – it actually felt as if after all this time, another person besides Newt finally accepted and saw me as a person who wasn't totally evil. And that was a great feeling, so I'm looking forward to when that comes about more often.
The washrooms were just in view now, the flat roof becoming apparent over the grassy hill as I hiked up the path. It was nice – the walk. Serene and quiet, with small gusts of wind beckoning me forwards and the sun bouncing on my skin.
I liked it, a lot. And it isn't just because no one's about-
"Hello, sweetheart."
I froze still, my feet not moving from their spot as my head refused to swivel round to meet the person speaking. He wasn't repelled from my lack of response, however.
"Or, would a more fitting name be the better way to go? After all, I wouldn't say you have the sweetest heart."
I wanted to curse, to pray that he was talking to anyone else and hadn't actually seen me – but no one's that lucky.
Taking a large breath in, I turned myself around, finally facing the one person I could ever possibly despise more than Janson.
"Hello, you piece of shit."
Emilio just laughed. "Now, now. That's not very friendly, is it?"
The boy tutted, moving forward with that sly smirk that sends bile to my throat and pain to my eyes. I would honestly prefer to be around anyone else right now.
Emilio's face still looked rather beaten up – his eye a tainted purple, his jaw bruised and hanging just slightly open. Not a sight to see.
"I've been meaning to speak with you." The boy said, taking another predatory step closer to where I stood.
My fingers twitched for my gun, my knife. I scolded myself – only if necessary, I thought.
"Please, enlighten me on such matters. I'm just dying to find out." I retorted sarcastically, rolling my eyes as I begin to turn away. But he catches my arm, stopping me from doing so.
"What's the hurry, my love? So quick to leave, and yet the fun hasn't even started yet."
He advanced forward once more, meeting me in the middle as his hand stayed secured on my arm.
I can't stab him – Vince will lose his shit. And if he's not okay with that, he won't be happy with the latter, either.
I watched as he slowly brought his hand up higher, his left circling my face, the other still clutching onto my forearm. I ran through tactics in my head, scanning over ideas to remove myself from his presence without landing myself extreme punishment in the process.
No such luck.
"You know, last time you didn't stick around long enough for a proper introduction." He whispered, his face nearing my own. I inhaled sharply, slowly losing my remaining patience.
"Yes, and there's probably a reason for that. Don't you think?" I spat through gritted teeth, desperately trying to stay calm. He could sense my discomfort, my anger – it spurred him on, because he likes it. He enjoys making people uncomfortable, taking pleasure from watching vulnerable women squirm before him at just his presence.
I'll be damned if I give him even a spec of that satisfaction.
The boy chuckled. "Nothing comes to mind."
His fingertips were grazing my cheek now, encircling it like a hawk as he traced delicate shapes on my skin. I begged myself to stay calm; I knew I could get out of this situation with no issue, but my punishment may be more severe than his.
And yet he was still creeping closer, so close that I could feel his short outtakes of breath on my face, watching as his grin grew wider until I felt physically repulsed.
"You know, love, even with your stupid boyfriend doing this to my face," Emilio points with his left hand to his bruised eye, "I still don't feel deterred from you."
The mention of Newt made my blood boil.
"Isn't it funny?" He laughs again, moving his hand back to stroking my cheek. "Isn't it funny how whatever you two do, I will not leave. I won't stop, not until I have you."
His eyes darkened, and if it's even possible, I watched as he took another step closer.
"I even know about all the crazy shit you did, and I couldn't give less of a fuck. It's endearing, actually." I gulped in response, taking a step back that he immediately filled by moving forward.
"Could your beloved boy-toy say the same? Would he stay with you after knowing about everything you've ever done?"
My fury threatened to bubble over; sure, threaten me, throw as many insults as you want my way – but you have another thing coming if you bring the blonde into this.
I brought both of my hands up to push Emilio away, receiving a slimy smirk in response. "Shut the fuck up about him, he has nothing to do with this."
And that what when I realised, I had messed up. The boy's face appeared to have reached an epiphany, as I had given him exactly what he wanted.
A weakness.
Emilio recovered quickly, standing up just as straight as before and taking yet another step closer to appear threatening.
"Oh, that struck a nerve, didn't it?" He laughed, "Does scary and tough Y/n have a soft spot for a certain someone?"
His laugh sounded like something carved out of a horror film; menacing and dark, filled with the underlying fears of the protagonist.
"Does the best fighter in camp with no feelings finally figure out what love is? How sweet." Emilio muttered, moving his face closer to mine to bite out another cruel sentence.
Very slow and quiet, the boy positioned himself to be eye level with me. "He will leave you, just like everyone else."
The sound of a bone snapping was followed promptly by a shattering scream.
--
"What was my one rule?!" Vince yelled, his cheeks pink from anger. I hadn't looked at him once, instead keeping my eyes locked on the table before me.
"Y/n! Fucking look at me!"
I still didn't and Vince slammed his fists down onto the table in anger.
Newt stood next to me, his hand finding the small of my back every so often for comfort.
Stood around the room with him was Brenda, Thomas and Fry.
Thomas came in to defend me. "It can't really be that bad, can it?" The boy lent forward on the table, resting his forearms on the wood as he slouched down to be eye level with everybody else.
Vince looked like he may explode. "She broke his arm in three different places!"
"To be fair, I only intended to break it in one, so that's rather impressive." I explained, and for some reason that just made Vince angrier.
"This is no time for jokes, Y/n! You are the reason one of our soldiers can't fight!"
I didn't even feel guilty about that – he deserved what he got as far as I was concerned.
"Can't we make do without a singular person?" Brenda asked, finding a space next to Thomas by the table. "I mean, do you really think he's that important to the team that him missing will cause a problem?"
Vince's eyes darkened and Brenda bowed her head in submission. No matter what any of us said, the man was still furious.
He turned back to me with a glare. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't take you out to the shooting quarters and use you as target practice."
Newt tightened his grip on my waist.
"Vince, I swear to you, he deserved it." I replied calmly.
"And how do you figure?" He asked, the sarcasm painfully prominent. I went to open my mouth to speak, but Vince continued on. "Because from the way I see it, you two have had it out for that guy since you got here."
Vince pointed at both me and Newt, giving us annoyed looks. "What is it? You just hate him? Newt, you never gave me a reason for beating Emilio until he turned purple, and here you are Y/n trying to tell me he deserved everything he got?"
Newt never told him.
"Hold on," Thomas interrupted, "Newt did what?"
I swallowed. I figured previously that few people knew about the altercation between Newt and Emilio, and I had assumed that the boy hadn't gone round telling people. So, Thomas' look was exactly what I had thought it would be; confused and maybe a bit upset that his friend had kept quite an upsetting fact about himself hidden away.
But mostly he looked shocked – surprised that this guy he had known for a mere few weeks could do something he hadn't seen coming, and that maybe he hadn't thought of him to be the person to step in and instead of using words to solve a conflict, find his fist to be a better solution.
I could feel Newt deflate from behind me.
"Emilio is not a nice guy, Tommy." He said, and then he was back to comforting, his hand finding my shoulders to relieve some tension.
"And why is that, Newt? You refused to speak on the matter, and I let it slide before – but this is getting ridiculous now." Vince still looked as if he was seething.
I took a deep breath in, and decided that I should be the one to explain.
"Boundaries aren't Emilio's thing; he doesn't understand that no means no and that standing practically on top of someone isn't an acceptable thing." I turned to Thomas to continue. "Newt was just trying to protect me, not just in person, but also with my honour."
Vince had gone quiet now. "He did nothing wrong, and Emilio deserved everything he got that day." I took another deep breath to steady myself as I went on. "I will admit, it may have been a bit extreme breaking his arm, but if we're being totally honest – I don't regret it. Not at all. I just only hope that now he takes the hint and leaves me alone for good, otherwise a broken arm will be the kindest thing I will be punished for."
I lowered my eyes to the table. "I understand punishing me, but I want to make it clear that I do not feel sorry, and I don't think I ever will."
Brenda's eyes widened for a fraction of a second – it was a quick action, but I still caught it.
I felt Newt go stiff behind me, and I watched as Thomas' hopeful façade trickled down into a pool of masked upset and pain.
Vince suddenly pushed off the table. "Give me your gun."
I furrowed my brows in confusion. "What? Why?"
"I don't want any more bloody accidents, that's why." Reluctantly, I removed the pistol from the holster on my hip and handed it over. "I don't want to give you another weapon that can harm someone; even if they deserve it."
I caught the slight smirk in his eyes, the playfulness in his tone and the carelessness in his posture. He wasn't mad. Why wasn't he mad?
"While I'm not happy about this, I feel as if maybe a large-scale punishment would be a bit crass." Surprise shot through me like lightning. "Now, don't think that means you're off the hook. You're still back on labour work with fewer breaks, but I'm also going to add in a painful talking to for Emilio."
His smile morphed into a grin and it took everything in me not to scream with confusion.
"I'll keep him away from you two – any problems, come talk to me. Don't under any circumstances try to solve the issue with your fists – is that understood?"
Both Newt and I nodded immediately.
"Good." Vince turns to Thomas casually. "Training tomorrow? I might tag along."
Even Thomas looked confused. "Er, yeah sure that's fine." Vince nodded slowly, before turning on his heel and turning for the door.
"Be ready. Okay? I need you all to be ready. When we get the others back, how ever we get the others back, it probably won't be pretty."
Vince inhaled slightly. "We need as many people as we can get to fight alongside us, so please for the love of fucking Christ, can we not injure anyone else?"
I shared a puzzling but understanding look with Newt before turning back to Vince, but he had already made his way to the door.
And then he was gone, out of the threshold, leaving all of us to think.
-
A/N: i cant even begin to explain how long it took me to write this - college work has really been kicking my butt lately.
hope this chapter isn't totally shit, there's a lot going on and sadly my least favourite character had to make a reappearance. hate this mf fr.
next update should be within the week, depending on how long it takes me to get this one written. ily all, have a great day <3