Author's Note: There will be Triggering Content in this chapter. There will be the mention of suicide and homophobia. All of this is fictional and for entertainment purposes ONLY. It is NOT intended to promote anything or to cause harm to the readers. If this is too much for you please avoid reading. You have been warned ahead.
⊰᯽⊱┈──╌❊╌──┈⊰᯽⊱
It has been a week since Pearl has been held captive inside of the safe-house with Venus. Things between them haven't really changed. Pearl was still being restrained with the steel handcuffs around her wrists that prevented her from escaping.
These handcuffs were still attached to the wall with a long chain, not allowing her to leave from the bedroom. The only place she could reach was the bathroom, in which she had also limited privacy. The long chain would not allow her to fully close the door, and taking showers was not easy as well. The handcuffs made it difficult for her to scrub properly.
There were times were she would ask Venus to help her scrub her back, and Venus would do it for her. They have seen each other naked before and Pearl wasn't that embarrassed anymore. All she wanted was to at least stay clean.
Despite of everything, Pearl would still feel a little nervous around Venus sometimes. It's already known that Venus is an unpredictable person, and she would do things unexpectedly. It was normal to be a little afraid of her whenever she gets in a bad mood. Venus could always snap at any moment and hurt Pearl again. Surprisingly though, that hasn't happened at all recently.
After the day they opened up to each other about their past and family, Venus was not lending her anger at Pearl anymore. They haven't had any problems actually, and that made Pearl feel a bit more relieved. Perhaps there was still a chance for her to survive after all.
The longer Pearl stayed here, the more she got to know about Venus' feelings. Venus was just a person who lacked of warmth since birth. She was never able to receive the love that a daughter deserves. And even though her actions could still not be justified, at least her behavior could be better understood now.
As a matter of fact, out of all the people that Venus could possibly think of, Pearl was actually the only one who genuinely cared to listen to her problems. No one has ever done that before, and Venus couldn't help but to find Pearl even more attractive and likeable everyday. There was something special about Pearl that Venus couldn't quite comprehend yet, but all she needed right now was to have her by her side. That's all she wanted for the meantime.
"THIS IS ALL YOUR FUCKING FAULT! UGH, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO NOTHING! YOU'RE SUCH A USELESS BRAT!"
Pearl jolted from bed, startled by the sudden loud shouting that came from the living room.
The leader of the Minor family had come again to scold Venus for no reason. He was having problems with the family's business lately, and he has been abusing his daughter non-stop, even if it wasn't really her fault anymore at this point.
"What do you want me to do, Pa? I really don't know what you want from me! You never treat me like a father. Why do you always have to act like this?" Venus was yelling back at him.
After realizing what was going on, Pearl slowly got out of bed and approached the door to eavesdrop the conversation. She was feeling concerned for Venus since she hasn't had a break from her father these days. He just won't leave her alone.
"DO YOU THINK I WANT YOU AS MY DAUGHTER? YOUR MOTHER WAS FORTUNATE TO DIE AT A YOUNG AGE! AT LEAST, SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO WITNESS THE MONSTER SHE GAVE BIRTH TO! YOU'RE SUCH A REPULSIVE CHILD THAT ALSO TURNS OUT TO BE A DISGUSTING LESBIAN!" The leader's venomous voice reverberated through the entire safe-house.
"If I were Mom, I would've committed suicide too! Having a husband like you must really be a misfortune!" Venus cried out before a loud slap landed on her face.
"DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE THAT! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? YOU AND YOUR BROTHER ARE EXACTLY THE SAME! BOTH OF YOU ARE SPOILED BRATS THAT ONLY KNOW HOW TO BE ARROGANT. YOU TWO WILL NEVER BE ABLE LIVE WITHOUT ME. INSTEAD OF PROTESTING, YOU SHOULD BE GRATEFUL THAT I BOTHERED TO TAKE CARE OF BOTH OF YOU!" The leader's words became more fierce the more Venus provoked him.
"This has nothing to do with Michael. If you're going to offend someone, then just insult me only! Leave him out of this!" Venus was breathing heavily, trying to compose herself but it was impossible. She couldn't allow her father to mistreat her younger brother too. "You like blaming others but you don't see your own flaws. You have so many that you can't even tell anymore! Apart from being an abusive father, you're also a cheater and a womanizer! How many women did you manage to pregnant when mom was still alive, huh? Tell me! Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP, VENUS!" The leader roared as he hit her harshly again.
Venus seemed to have landed somewhere because a loud thud was heard along with a shattering sound from an object falling to the ground. Pearl could only pray for this fight to end soon. It was getting even worse. She didn't want to imagine the terrible condition that Venus was in.
"Boss, please calm down! Stop this! It's enough. I'll drive you back home. Venus please go to the room!" The concerned voice from a bodyguard was then heard as he attempted to stop them.
Eventually, the door of the living room opened and slammed close as the leader of the minor family left the safe-house with the bodyguard. Loud footsteps approached to the bedroom, alerting Pearl in an instant. She swiftly went back to bed and covered herself with the blanket, pretending to be asleep. Pearl knew that this idea was dumb, but it was the first thing that came to her mind. She didn't want to look at the terrifying scowl that Venus was wearing, she probably looked like Lucifer in person!
The door of the bedroom opened abruptly as Venus walked in and sat on the edge of the bed. Her breathing was still heavy and she was shaking by how perturbed she was. She was grasping the bed sheets tightly, restraining the urge to destroy everything around her. She didn't want to make another mess that she'll have to pick up and organize later again.
There was dead silence between them for a while before Venus spoke first, "You can stop pretending, I know that you're awake, Pearl."
Pearl could only sigh deeply, wondering why she needed to be in this situation. If she could bury herself alive, she would. She'll rather be a stone than a 'pet' right now. "Um, are you okay?" She asked as she slowly sat up, facing Venus' back that was towards her.
Venus shook her head quietly before saying, "You probably must be tired of dealing with me everyday."
"No, I'm not. I just don't know what I can do for you to make you feel better." Pearl crawled closer to Venus, sitting beside her this time. She could now see all the bruises on Venus' pale face. They were worse than before. "Does it hurt a lot? Do you want me to help you put on the ointment?"
Venus nodded as a slight pout formed on her lips. It was obvious that she was trying not to cry in front of Pearl. She was still not used to being treated this nicely by anyone. Pearl was the only one who cared for her when she was in pain. "It hurts, but I don't know why it's not as bad as before." She sniffled while rubbing her nose.
"That's good to hear." Pearl gave her a warm smile. "Just try to tolerate him a little longer. It will be over soon."
Venus turned her head to stare at Pearl sitting next to her. Their eyes met for a split second before she lowered her gaze back down to the ground. "I'll go get the ointment then." She said as she stood up from the bed and went back to the living room.
As Pearl waited for Venus to come back, she couldn't help but to wonder why her heart was pounding rapidly against her chest. When their eyes met, there was an odd sensation on her stomach. She didn't know exactly what it was, but it made her blush subconsciously.
Why did Venus make her feel this kind of way?
And why did it feel like she was starting to develop feelings for her?
What the hell was all of this!
Pearl was interrupted from her thoughts when she heard the door of the bedroom opening and closing. Venus handed her the ointment and sat on the bed again.
"You must've heard all the argument earlier, right?" Venus asked.
"Mhm, it sounded very serious." Pearl stood on her feet to apply the salve gently on Venus' face. Those wounds would probably take weeks or even months to fully heal. Venus had an attractive looking face and these scars only ruined it. Pearl felt bad for her.
Venus pondered for a moment before speaking, "Since the moment I told my father that I was a lesbian, he has been hating on me even more. He thinks that I'm a freak or something. I don't understand why he has to act that way. Uncle accepted Kai's sexuality so easily, but why can't it be the same with me? Am I really that worthless?"
Pearl listened quietly and then responded in a soft manner, "I don't think you're worthless. Your father is just homophobic. That's all. It will take him some time to get used to it."
Venus flinched slightly, feeling Pearl's finger stroking in an area that was more swollen on her face. "Ah! Could you be more gentle?"
"Sorry! I'm trying. Just hold it a little. I'm almost done here." Pearl told her as she continued to apply the ointment with delicacy.
Venus rolled her eyes and went back to the subject. "Do you know why my mother committed suicide?"
Pearl shook her head silently, waiting for Venus to explain.
"My mother was going through depression because of my father. She knew that he was cheating on her with other women but she never pointed it out to him because she was that type of woman that didn't like causing arguments." Venus paused for a second before continuing, "Then, as if things couldn't get any worse, she was also slandered by the major family. They accused her for stealing the money of the family's company, when she didn't even do it in the first place. She couldn't tolerate with her life anymore and she committed suicide by hanging herself in the bathroom." There were faint tears forming in Venus' eyes that Pearl could notice. No wonder Venus held so much resentment towards the major family. There were so many secrets hidden deep within the dark.
"I know it's hard to face the present when the past has been tormenting you for years. However, you have to seperate those matters from yourself. That was something that occurred when you were little, and it happened long time ago. You can't really do anything about it. You have to try to stay strong even if things seem to be going nowhere. That's the only way you can become a better version of yourself." Pearl encouraged as she put down the ointment on the nightstand and sat down beside Venus after applying the medicine for her.
Venus glanced at Pearl for a moment, analyzing her words before changing the subject. "Are you hungry?"
Pearl didn't hesitate and nodded with a little smile. She has been craving to eat another meal. Whenever Venus cooked something, it was always delicious. And the best thing of all was that the food wasn't poisoned!
"Then, is there something specific that you would like for me to cook?" Venus wanted some suggestions since she has been preparing the same foods for the past week and she was already bored of the porridge, soups, and salads she made.
Pearl thought for a second before responding, "How about spicy curry? I've been craving to eat something spicy these days."
"Spicy?" Venus perked a brow. "Do you like spicy foods?"
Pearl nodded, "Yup! A lot. My grandma used to prepare many kinds of spicy foods for me and I love it."
Venus clenched her teeth and wrinkled her nose as if she couldn't agree with Pearl. "Well, I don't like spicy food. Can you suggest something else?"
Pearl furrowed her brows and pouted hearing this, "You asked me for suggestions, and you are rejecting them? That doesn't make any sense. You know what, I'm not eating anymore. I'm not hungry." She crawled back to the bed and laid down while covering herself with the blanket.
"Ugh, come on! Can't you suggest something else instead of spicy food?" Venus got off from the bed and folded her arms.
"I said that I'm not hungry anymore! Just leave me alone!" Pearl shouted and buried her head inside of the blanket.
"Fine, I'll just go make more chicken soup then." Venus said before leaving, slamming the door of the bedroom shut.
One moment these two were having a therapy talk, and another moment they are fighting like cats and dogs. What an interesting progress they have made!
⊰᯽⊱┈──╌❊╌──┈⊰᯽⊱
Another week went by swiftly, and Pearl found herself reading one of the many books that Venus had brought with her to the safe-house. She has been reading for like an hour, and she was intrigued by the content.
"Hello again, Mr. Spikes. I think I know now why your owner likes reading so much. She has a good taste. These books contain a lot of psychology." Pearl was talking to the hedgehog as she flipped a page to continue reading.
"Who are you talking to?" Venus' voice suddenly sounded inside of the bedroom. It was unknown for how long she has been standing there at the door frame, staring at Pearl with those penetrating eyes.
Pearl was slightly taken aback by her, and the book almost fell from her grasp. "Geez, what the hell! You scared me!" She aimed at the hedgehog inside of the small cage with her index finger and added, "I was talking to your pet."
"You named him Mr. Spikes?" Venus asked as she took out a lighter and a cigarette from the pocket of her pants and began smoking.
"Yeah, you told me that he doesn't have a name, so I started calling him like that." Pearl shrugged and continued reading the book while sitting on the floor.
Venus inhaled and exhaled the cigarette from her mouth, causing the room to smell like smoke in an instant. "I see. And are you into reading?"
"I guess. There's nothing else better to do in this room anyway." Pearl shrugged her shoulders again, not paying much attention to Venus. She was trying to concentrate on the book.
Venus rolled her eyes at this and muttered with a smirk, "Dummy."
'Dummy? Dummy my ass! You're keeping me captive here. What else do you want me to do? Cry and pray every day? No! I have already moved on from that phase. I want to keep my sanity stable. The one who is dumb here is you for keeping me here! Do you even know that you can go to jail if the police finds out about this? You're the one who is an idiot here!' Pearl screamed internally after hearing what Venus mumbled.
Venus walked towards the bed and sat down quietly, watching Pearl read the book in her hands. Pearl could feel Venus' gaze scanning her from head to toe. She was enjoying the view in front of her.
Pearl has beautiful curves and a smooth tan skin after all. That strapless dress she's wearing is making her look provocative even if she didn't intend to seduce nobody. Those long legs and squishy thighs. And bare shoulders exposed in the air. Ugh, it was inevitable not to drool! How could someone be this sexy without even trying?
"This book states that you can tell personalities by knowing the blood type of someone. I wonder if that's true. What's your blood type, Venus?" Pearl's voice disrupted Venus' lewd imagination, making her come back to earth.
"Uh...'AB'. I think." Venus answered, placing the cigarette back on her lips.
Pearl read what the book said before speaking, "Waah, that's cool. I wish mine was 'AB' too."
"And what's your blood type?" Venus tilted her head with curiosity.
"Mine is 'O'." Pearl replied.
"What does the book say about your blood type?" Venus asked.
Pearl flipped back a page and read it out loud, "People who are 'O' Blood type are usually beautiful, kind, and clever..."
Venus immediately rolled her eyes hearing this, a smile forming on her lips. "I think you should throw that book away. It doesn't seem to be accurate at all."
Pearl gave her a little glare, "Well, that's really written there. You want me to read yours out loud?"
"Go ahead." Venus let out a laugh with a sneer on her face. She was playing along with the game. She knew very well that a book wouldn't state something like that. Plus, the use of vocabulary seemed to be too simple, as if Pearl came up with it just now.
Pearl flipped the pages again and read out loud, "People who are 'AB' Blood type are usually peculiar. They look open on the outside, but are actually really complex from the inside. They are people who are difficult to understand and have a lot of concealed emotions in them." Pearl lifted her head to glance at Venus and added, "You see? This is very accurate! The description is literally you."
Venus shook her head and laughed again. "The only person who would really believe in this stupid book is you, of course. What a dummy."
"Well, this is actually your book. Don't blame me for reading it. I bet you have read it before too." Pearl flipped through the pages, coming to a stop when she found something else that got her attention. "Oh! Listen to this! It also says that personalities can be told depending on the pet too!"
Venus didn't say anything this time and continued smoking her cigarette. She thought that all of this was ridiculous and that there was no point in continuing the conversation.
"Let's see...A hedgehog...A hedgehog..." Pearl flipped the pages until she found what she wanted. "Oh! Here! It says...The owner of a hedgehog looks strong on the outside, and even scary. But in reality, they are sensitive in the inside."
"Sensitive? Are you calling me weak?" Venus knitted her brows together. She didn't like when people referred to her as a weak person.
"I said sensitive, not weak. The book says that you're a sensitive person from the inside." Pearl explained with a little smile. "You basically need some love and affection."
The frown in Venus' face darkened as she threw the cigarette to the ground, stepping on it with her heel. Then, with an abrupt move, she kicked the book in Pearl's hands, making it crash to the ground harshly. "Just stop reading that shit already! So fucking annoying!" She shouted irritated.
Pearl was startled by this and her eyes widened a bit as she glanced at Venus with a puzzled expression. What did she do exactly to make Venus angry this time?
Venus didn't seem to like when others pointed out her weaknesses. She didn't want to admit that she had all those traits, and she kicked the book out of rage, not wanting to listen to Pearl anymore. She left the bedroom feeling annoyed while Pearl was still confused on the floor.
⊰᯽⊱┈──╌❊╌──┈⊰᯽⊱