Aaron Taylor-Johnson As Ben ⤷ Savages | Dir. Oliver Stone

Fav if you save.

Stand for ALL black women

- College Educated black women

- Street Educated black women

- Poor black women

- rich black women

- Gay black women

- Trans black women

- Queer black women

- Imprisoned black women

- criminal-past black women

- mentally ill black women

- sex working black women

- disabled black women

- old black women

-young black women

- loud black women

- quiet black women

- dark-skinned black women

- Light-skinned black women

- fat, skinny, curvy, muscular, athletic black women

- agnostic, Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, Wiccan, Pagan, Bruja black women

- black women that are artists

- black women that cosplay

- black women that feel out of place

- black women out of work

- black women on welfare

- black women working two jobs

- black mothers

- black sisters

- black women choosing to exist in a world that doesn’t care if they exist.

All black women.

HALLE BERRY in X-MEN (2000)

i don't think i've ever hated a dark character as much as i hate lloyd and nick, i really get sick of his hallucination that he really loves her, at least besides being disgraced lloyd is sincere. wanted her to tell him about the videos, dumping the shit on him again. afraid they won't get her back, but I know that ari could never be without her again after getting her.

Guns, Lies & Fairy Tales X

Relationship: Lloyd Hansen x Reader x Nick Fowler; Ari Levinson x Reader

Summary: Your world is ripped apart when a stranger with a vendetta finds you and your children.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9

Words: 3.6k

Series Warnings: Non-con, dub-con, kidnapping, Stockholm Syndrome, childbirth, lactation kink, physical, emotional, and psychological abuse, isolation, violence, torture, murder, smut, allusion to forced pregnancy, angst, trauma, and other warnings to be added.

This is a DARK fic and you are responsible for your own media consumption.

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT 18+ ONLY, NSFW

Ari paced the room angrily with his hands on his hips, still in disbelief over your decision to turn yourself over to Nick and Lloyd. 

“You don’t need to do this!” He pleaded with you from across the room, “Y/N, please! I can’t fucking lose you again.”

“It’s the only way and you know it.” You tried to reason with him, “If I don’t go then I’ll have to wait for Gustafsson and her agents to track Nick and Lloyd down. And clearly they aren’t worth shit when it comes to that.”

You looked at him as his eyes pleaded with you and you walked over to the other side of the room to pull him into a hug. He grabbed onto you tightly and pressed his cheek against the top of your head. You felt his tears as they began to drip onto your hair.  

“I am scared, Ari.” You admitted softly and pulled away. You held him gently by his face as you gazed into his teary eyes, “I’m scared to go back to those monsters and have my children around them again. But I’ll be less afraid knowing you’re here making sure we get back safe.”

You put your forehead against his, “It’s going to be okay.”

You weren’t sure who you were trying to convince more. You were more than just afraid, you were terrified of facing Lloyd and Nick again and of what they would do to you before you were extracted. 

~~~

“We have a big day tomorrow, Bug.” You smiled at her as you tucked her into her crib, “We’re going to see daddies and Nikki.”

She perked up and beamed at you excitedly, “Daddies and Nikki?!”

Your stomach churned as you put on a happy face for her, “Mhm, so you need to be a good girl and go to sleep, okay? You don’t wanna be tired when you see them right?”

She pouted and let out a dramatic sigh, “Okay, mommy. I go to sleep then.”

You gave her a kiss on the forehead and then re-tucked her in. You checked on LJ before turning off the lights and leaving. Your heart was heavy as you walked to your bedroom where Ari was waiting for you. He was fiddling with his computer in bed while you went to brush your teeth. 

You climbed into bed with him when you were done and noticed that he had a video pulled up.There was a slight panic, thinking it could be another one of those awful videos he forced you to watch earlier.

He pulled you in closer, “This is our wedding video.” He clicked play and turned to you, “I wanted to watch it with you before you left tomorrow.”

You curled against him and smiled as you watched the two of you standing across from each other during the ceremony. You both looked so happy and you remembered your face hurting from how much you were grinning. You remembered that you had to wipe Ari’s tears away after he’d finally seen you in your dress. You remembered the joy you felt when you finally kissed at the end of the ceremony. 

You felt tears sting your eyes as you watched the speeches at the reception and your first dance with him. You knew that you would be taken by Lloyd and Nick shortly after what had been the happiest moments of your life. 

It didn’t go unnoticed that you were reliving these moments right before you’d be in their clutches again. You had faith that Ari and the team would get to you in time, but there was still a seed of doubt. 

“I love you.” You said softly as you looked up at him, “I want you to know that. Just in case -”

“We will bring you back.” He cut you off before you could even say the words, “I love you more than anything in this world.”

He put the laptop away and turned off the bedside lamp before laying down and holding you tightly against him. Ari wrapped his arm and leg around you as if he were afraid you would be taken from him in the night. You felt safe with him and managed to fall asleep quickly despite having been on edge about tomorrow. 

~~~

Your alarm went off early in the morning and it was time for you to get ready. You pried yourself from Ari’s tight grasp as you got out of bed. You had the agents bring you a spring dress in Lloyd’s favorite color - red - so that you could hopefully appease him when he saw you. You were most afraid of him because of how cruel he had already been to you compared to Nick. 

Ari woke up when you were almost finished and grabbed you to kiss you, “Dropping you and the kids off today is going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

You paused and took a deep breath before responding. You knew what you were about to say would upset him, “You’re not going. We’re saying our goodbyes before I leave.”

He pulled away and looked at you in disbelief, “Y/N - No, I can’t -”

“Yes, Ari. You can. It’ll be too hard for the both of us if you go.”

“Baby, listen -”

“No.” You shook your head and it took everything in you to hold it together, “There’s no way you’re going to be able to leave me there and drive away, is there?”

Ari clenched his fists at his side and just stared at you until he looked down away from you. You were right, he couldn’t. 

He walked over and grabbed your hands to kiss them. You tucked his long hair behind his ears before giving him a passionate goodbye kiss. 

“I need to get the kids ready and then prep with the agents. I’ll see you downstairs.”

Maya was already awake and practically trying to escape from her crib when you got to their room. She was bouncing up and down excited. 

“See daddies today!” She squealed and giggled, “And Nikki!”

“That’s right. Bug!” You picked her up and hugged her, “Let’s get you and LJ ready.”

The children needed to be perfect. Your ‘husbands’ would expect it, especially Lloyd, and you were already in enough trouble as it is. The last thing you wanted to do was pile onto the reasons they already had to punish you. 

Once the kids were fed and ready it was time to be prepped again on the plan. A tracking device was to be hidden inside of the kids’ diaper bag so that they would be able to know where Nick and Lloyd were hiding. Once that was established they would surveil the location to know the security situation and then make a plan on how to move in. The plan was to extract you and the kids, along with capturing Nick and Lloyd. 

“We’ll try to get you out as quickly as we can.” Gustafsson tried to assure, “Are you sure you want to do this? You're putting yourself in a lot of danger.”

You looked back at her, knowing she didn’t care about how much danger you were in. You could see the determination and eagerness in her eyes, “Yes. I just want my daughter back.”

She nodded in acknowledgement before turning to the agents, “Alright, let’s go.”

The kids were loaded into the car as you and Ari embraced each other one last time. You put your hands on his face and kissed him softly. Your foreheads touched as you stood there together for what felt like an eternity. 

You squeezed his hand as you pulled away, “I’ll be okay.”

You left him there as you walked to the car and didn’t look back. You would have broken down and you needed to be strong right now. Strong for yourself, your kids, and to not look weak in front of Gustafsson. You held your head high as you walked to face your fate. 

~~~

“The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round. The wheels on the bus go round..”

Maya listened to her tablet and LJ wiggled in his seat to the song as you stared out of the window. Mark and Mateo drove you to the drop off point and humored the children to keep them occupied. The only thing you could think about were the memories of your life with Nick and Lloyd…

…You screamed and strained as you tried to push at the midwife's instructions. You had been in labor for hours at the house, Nick and Lloyd refusing to take you to the hospital to avoid being caught. All of your prenatal care was done in your home. 

“PUSH!”

Nick sat behind you and you leaned against his chest as he held your hand, “You can do it, Princess. You’re almost done, baby.”

You were exhausted both mentally and physically, almost ready to give up, “I’m tired.” You whimpered back at him. 

“Just one more, Y/N.” The midwife called up to you, “One big push.”

Lloyd gripped your other hand tightly, almost enough to break it, “Push.”

It wasn’t encouragement like Nick. It was an order and you followed it. You bared down and pushed as hard as you could with a loud yell until you were finally done and collapsed against Nick. You panted as you tried to catch your breath while the midwife cut the umbilical cord and passed you Nikki. 

“Hi, baby.” You greeted her with a tear filled smile as you held her. 

 “She’s perfect, just like you, Y/N.” Nick stroked her little head and kissed you on the cheek, “Thank you.”

“Good girl.” Lloyd praised you as he stroked your hair, “You did so well today. I’m proud of you.”

You remembered how much his praise made your heart swell even more and bile rose in your throat. How happy you were to appease your abusers somehow made you disgusted with yourself.

…Nikki squealed as she opened up her presents under the giant Christmas tree. Nick and Lloyd had spared no expense for her and Maya. 

“Mommy! Look! This is exactly the one I wanted.” She beamed as she held up her toy, “Thank you, daddies!” 

“Anything for you, Pumpkin.” Lloyd smiled at her, “Come on, now open up the big one.”

You helped Maya open up her presents since she was still too young to do it on her own. 

Her eyes went wide at every gift. You giggled as you watched how excited she was. 

Nick approached and sat down next to you, “I can help her, Princess, while you unwrap yours.”

You smiled back at him excitedly and chirped, “Okay! It looks like I have a lot this year.” 

You opened them up eagerly despite knowing what was going to be inside. It was the same every year for your birthday and Christmas. Boxes upon boxes of expensive jewelry, perfumes, designer clothing, lingerie, and shoes. Lloyd walked over with a velvet box and a smirk. 

Your face lit up when you saw the brand new leather collar in your favorite color. “Sunshine” was engraved on the gold metal tag. Your previous one was basic black and Lloyd told you that you would get a new one once you had earned it. You’d wear it when you spent your nights with him and remove it in the morning. Nick hated it and Lloyd agreed to keep it behind closed doors to avoid pissing him off. 

He bent down and whispered in your ear, “You’re gonna wear that when you thank me for your gifts tonight, sweetheart.”

The car came to a stop and your heart pounded against your ribcage. You were finally going to face your abusers again after months of freedom. Your hands shook as you undid your seatbelt and helped the children out of their carseats. Mateo and Mark took out the stroller and helped put the kids in it while you steadied your nerves. 

You gave Mateo a long hug, “Thank you for everything.”

“You make it sound like we’re not going to see each other again, Y/N. We will.” He told you before he leaned down to say goodbye to Maya. 

“Bye-bye, Mateo!” 

“You’re brave and tough, Y/N. Just like I remember.” Mark put his hands on your shoulders, “You can handle this. I know you can.”

He gave you a warm hug before pulling out your wedding rings from his pocket, “I know you don’t want to wear these again, but you need to.”

You closed your eyes and let out a deep sigh before you took them and put them on. They felt like heavy shackles, but you knew things would go better for you if you did wear them. Mark gave you another hug before heading back to the car. The men drove off and you were left on the side of the road with your children. 

Maya looked around curiously and then up at you, “Where’s daddies?”

“They’re coming soon, Bug.”

After what seemed like ten minutes you saw two large black SUVs approach. They stopped in front of you and the kids. Lloyd and Frances, the old nanny, stepped out of the car. Lloyd had a shit eating grin the moment he saw you and the kids. You tried to keep your body from shaking as he approached. The kids however squealed and held their arms out when he saw him. 

He bent down and picked up Maya from the stroller first, “Hi Bug! How’s my big girl?”

“I missed you, daddy!!!” 

“I know, Maya.” He cooed, “Don’t worry. Daddy will never be away from you this long again.”

“Promise?”

Lloyd glared at you as he held her, “I promise, Bug. Never again.”

Frances approached to take her from Lloyd, “Let’s go to the car so you can see your other daddy and Nikki.”

“Okay, Frances!”

“And how’s my handsome boy, huh?” Lloyd smiled as he picked up LJ next, “Look at you! You got so big while you were away. You’re almost one now.”

LJ looked up at him with a drool filled smile and babbled. Lloyd hugged him and kissed his forehead before giving him to Frances after she had gotten Maya settled in the car. She walked away leaving you and Lloyd alone then shortly after the car with the children pulled away. 

You panicked and started to make a move towards the car but Lloyd stopped you. His demeanor changed and he glowered at you before ripping the diaper bag away. 

“The kids need -”

“Shut the fuck up.” He sneered at you as he threw the contents onto the ground. He ripped through the lining of the bag until he found the tracking device. He held it up in your face and cocked his head to the side, “Do you think I’m fucking stupid, Sunshine?”

He threw it onto the ground and stomped on it with his foot. Your blood ran cold as you watched the only way for Ari and the team to find you be destroyed. Lloyd grabbed you tightly by the chin and looked you in the eyes. 

“Strip.” He ordered as he stared at you coldly, “I want to make sure you aren’t wearing a wire either.”

“Lloyd, I’m not -”

He snapped his finger for you to be quiet, “Right now, you better fucking call me, sir. I know you know better than to talk back to me.”

Your lip trembled and you began to take off your dress. You held it out to him and he dropped it on the ground.

“All of it.”

You turned to see the driver and another man sitting in the car. You felt the heat rise to your cheeks as you removed your bra, panties, and shoes. Lloyd made a motion for you to turn around. You tried to cover yourself and he whacked your arms away. 

“Lloyd, please.”

“What the fuck did I just tell you?”

You looked down at the ground too ashamed to look up at him, “To call you sir.”

“Good. I hope your dumb little brain can at least remember that.” 

He reached into his pocket and pulled out your leather collar and whimpered as he roughly put it on you. 

“Now get in the fucking car.” 

You did as you were told and noticed the partition between you and the front seats was up. YOu didn’t know if you should be thankful for the privacy or afraid of it. There was another dress for you draped across the seat. You reached for it and Lloyd slapped your bare thigh. 

“Did I tell you that you could get dressed?”

“No, sir.” You replied meekly, “You didn’t tell me I could get dressed.”

He studied you for a long while before he pounced on you. Lloyd grabbed you by your neck and pinned you to the seat. 

“Ballsy of you to think that you could say that shit about us to the kids and that you’d get away with it.” He sneered mere inches from your face and you grabbed at his wrist as he tightened his grip, “You were kissing Ari in front of them too like some slut. Do you have any idea how confused they’re going to be now?”

“I saw the videos.” You croaked out, “The wedding night.”

Lloyd roughly let you go and you coughed as you tried to catch your breath. 

“None of that matters anymore.” He retorted coldly, “We gave you a good life. You lived in luxury. You have three beautiful children and you wouldn’t if it weren’t for me and Nick.”

You hadn’t even been with him for twenty minutes and he’d already humiliated you. You started to wonder how long you could take being in Lloyd’s clutches again, but you wiped that out of your head. You were doing this to get Nikki back and to finally get rid of Nick and Lloyd.

“Now, when we get back, you’re going to behave. You’re going to be the same dumb little dutiful wife like you were before. You’re going to tell Nick that you were confused because Ari fucked with your head. You are going to tell him that you love him. And you sure as shit aren’t going to mention the videos. Do you understand, Sunshine?”

“Yes, sir.” 

“Good. It would hurt him to know that wasn’t actually the case. He loves you too much. And you know what? You’re gonna tell me you love me too, because it makes my dick hard when you do.”

“Did you ever love me?” It was a question that plagued you once your memories started coming back and you realized what Nick and Lloyd had done to you.  

“No.” He smirked and he stroked your cheek, “But I care about you in my own way, because you’re mine and I’ll kill anyone who ever tries to take you from me.”

You knew he didn’t love you, but hearing the words out loud still stung. You felt tears begin to pool in your eyes and Lloyd tutted you. 

“Aww, Sunshine, baby.” He cooed as he pressed you back down onto the seat and spread your legs. 

You instinctively tried to close them but he pried them open and shoved his hand between them. Lloyd’s thumb began to rub your bundle of nerves and your breath hitched. He lowered himself on top of you as he continued to work his fingers. 

“Don’t be upset, Sunshine.” He murmured as he kissed the side of your face, “I still missed you.”

Your humiliation grew when you felt the slick begin to run down your thighs. Your body still reacted to him after it had been trained for so many years. You gasped as Lloyd slid two of his fingers inside of you and began to work your spongy spot. You turned your head away from him as tears rolled down your face. 

You felt his mustache against your ear as he nibbled on it, “I still feel good, don’t I? Hm?”

Your hips slowly started to rock as you felt pleasure bloom in your core and begin to flood through the rest of your body. You bit your lip to try and hold in your moans but Lloyd kissed you to open your mouth. 

“I missed you.” He purred when he pulled away, “I missed seeing you underneath me. I missed the way your pussy feels when it grips my cock.” He sped up his fingers to work the spot within you even more. Your legs trembled with each movement. 

“I missed your beautiful face and that stupid fucking laugh of yours.” He groaned as he ground his clothed erection against your thigh, “And I know by the way your pussy sounds right now, you missed me too.”

Your nails dug into his biceps as your eyes rolled and your orgasmm shot through you like lightning. He kept going, working you through it and bringing about another. Your body shivered as you came down from your high and he finally slid his fingers out of you. Lloyd smiled as he licked off your juices and leered at you. 

He moved his hands up your stomach gently and cupped your breasts, “You know what I also missed, sweetheart?”

He squeezed them and licked his lips as your milk dripped down his hands. He bent down and darted his tongue across your nipple and groaned. 

“This is my favorite part about knocking you up.” He murmured before licking a stripe between your breasts. He let out a low growl before he squeezed them again. 

“We have more than an hour until we’re back at the safe house. Lots of time to have some fun, Sunshine.”

You choked out a sob but he shushed you, “Don’t worry. I’m not going to fuck you - yet. Nick and I are gonna do that together to welcome you back home.”

Chapter 11/End 

Taglist: @eralen, @rededfoxy, @thanatosfic, @rebekahdawkins, @daniphantom1​ @lostyx​ buckysteveloki-me @devin04 @alexakeyloveloki @littleone2223 @seitmai whatinthestyles @Olliparty @winchestersister55 @lexivass

Brother May I Masterlist

summary: Sarah was the sister he resented, Wheezie was the sister he adored, but even after years in the Cameron household, you still didn’t know how Rafe felt about you.

Keep reading

yeah!

english isnt my first language btw so when u read my posts in ur head I want u to mispronounce at least one word in it and add a really heavy accent

I feel so sorry for her 😭 I feel like she expected to discover more about him when he returned, that he would bring more firewood and warmth with him, but she was surprised by a monster more violent than she could have expected. Will he have the reasoning that this behavior will make her colder with him? Rejecting what he offers? Even animals recognize when their behavior does not please, my dog knows when he did something wrong and tries to "compensate" by making an abandoned face 🫠

Mission Control 11

Warnings: non/dubcon, violence, stalking, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Character: Captain Hydra

Summary: a man marches into your life on a mission

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging ❤️

A storm falls like a harbinger of his return. Winds batter the siding and the windows rattle with the speckle of cold rain. The chill creeps through the walls as you ration the last few pieces of wood.  

As you quake before the fireplace, the door swings open and hits the frame, adding to the cacophony of nature’s rage. You hardly have a moment to react as his dark figure falls on you like a wraith. You flail your legs as the blanket catches on a lose tile before the crackling flames and he drags you across the floor. 

Your heels bounce futilely on the rug as the rain blows through the open door. The man once known as a hero, the man lost to the ice all those centuries ago, take you into the bedroom and flings you like a rag doll. Like a thing. 

You hit the food of the bed and land on the floor with a crash. You groan as your bones ache, not only with the impact but from the endless tension. As you writhe, he steps over you, smearing blood onto your night gown as he grabs the tinged fabric. 

He hauls you up so you stand on your toes. You smell the iron stained into his body armor. You look up at the mask that hides him. You try to imagine those blue eyes but you only see a monster. He is only the indomitable villain that plucked you out of your own life. 

He hurls you across the bed and you gasp as you land on your side. You roll onto your stomach and crawl up the mattress. He catches your ankle and tears you back as the frame dips with his weight. You rip the sheets into a wrinkle as you fight to escape him. 

This isn’t the man that left. This isn’t the docile stranger trapped in indecision. You sense in him a furor worse than that wailing outside the cabin.  

He flips you onto your back and grabs the front of the linen nightgown. He rents the fabric down the middle and exposes your body. You bat at his hands without effect as you wriggle. He pushes a knee between both of yours, splaying you wide. 

He grips your hips and hauls your closer. You squeak and reach up, clawing desperately for any escape. There’s nothing by the flat pillows and the top of the rumpled sheets. He pushes a hand up your body and stretches it around your neck. 

You still and whimper as you put your hand on his wrist. You flick the tears with your lashes and whine. Terror swells in your chest and floods through your veins like icy water. You can’t fight him. Not physically. 

“Please, don’t,” you beg as you touch his knuckles. “Please, you don’t have to--” You wheezes as his hand squeezes tighter. “You don’t have to do this. Please, please, I’m scared. I’m scared...” you croak between willowy heaves, “it hurts. Please don’t hurt me anymore.” You trail your hand up his arm, feeling the rough fabric, dirty dusting off beneath your graze, “Captain... Steve Rogers--” 

His hand nearly crushes your throat and cuts off your next plea. Your head pounds and your tears trickle out unchecked. No, no, that was wrong. You shouldn’t have said any of that. You’re just so scared. 

You close your eyes as your skull pulse and you choke for a breath, clasping onto his thick forearm as you try to ease his hold on you. His other hand pushes away the night gown so it splays around you. He shoves his hands between your legs, rough as he pokes at your folds. 

He wiggles his fingertips impatiently and rams into you without warning. You smack his bicep desperately as he jerks you with hard thrusts. You whimper and your eyes snap open as his hand slips just enough for you to gulp in a breath. 

He rips his hand away and shifts on his knees. He struggles to undo his fly, growing more impatient as the sheaths and weapons get in his way. You try not to look at him as you know what he means to do. 

All that hope, that sliver of hope that you had before, that he might be gentle, that he might be appeased, is gone. You latch onto his arm as you brace himself. You jostle on the mattress with his movement. He leans weight on your neck as he looms over you. 

He pushes his knees wider and pushes along your cunt once more. You can tell it’s him; not his fingers, but that other part of him. His blunt tip strains against you as your body tries to resist the intrusion. He grunts and bucks his hips. As he breaks through you gurgle and dig your nails into his sleeve. 

He snarls as he curls his hand around your hip and jerks again. He thrusts deeper and your eyes roll back as your body locks up in agony. He dips his hand around your neck and lifts you, bringing you into his lap as he tilts again. 

He bottoms out as he hooks his thick arm around you and cradles your head with his hand. You hang off him limply as you suck in air. Tendrils of pain entwine you and have you paralysed and prone. If you fight, it will only be worse. 

He rocks you in his lap. He growls and hangs his head down next to yours. He moves your head to the side and presses his cowl against your next. You babble and snivel each time he sinks into you.  

The storm has swept away the calm at last and you’re lost to the dark clouds.

I just want to emphasize how intimidated I feel while I'm reading, the way I feel her pressure and uncertainty about him.

Mission Control 13

Warnings: non/dubcon, violence, stalking, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Character: Captain Hydra

Summary: a man marches into your life on a mission

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging ❤️

You stand shivering in a towel. The door is open to the damp chill, a grey sky peeking in. He appears again, marching through with a worn canvas knapsack. He drops it on the rug and goes back to shut the door. You hear the gears whirring as it locks on its own. 

He’s all in black again. At least his clothes are clean. The turtleneck has a hole in the elbow and the cargo pants are missing a flap along one pocket, but they don’t smell like iron and mud. His blond hair is still sleek with moisture and droops down his forehead. 

You wrap your arms around yourself and watch him. He lifts the bag over the couch and drops it on the cushions. He points and looks at you. You nod and go where he wants. 

You tuck in the top of the towel. You pull back the zipper. A bundle of clothing pushes the bag wide as it bulges through. You pull out a plaid flannel shirt. It’s thick. You peek up at him and hold it up. He jams his finger towards you. 

“These are for me?” You ask. He lowers his arms and tilts his head. “Thank you.” You look down and lay out the flannel on the next cushion.  

You pull out two pairs of rolled jeans, some tee shirts, and a pullover sweater. Each piece is plain and practical. None of it matches. You won’t complain. Only the last piece is less than utilitarian. 

You drag out the dress and it flows free. The yellow is speckled with green vines and white flowers. You grimace as you note the red splotch on the bodice and the way the trim on the neckline is separated along one side. 

He grunts. You wince and look him in the eye. You blink nervously and turn the dress around for him to see. He frowns and snatches it from you. He touches the bloody stain and exhales deeply. He balls it up. He stares at you again. 

You pick up a tee shirt and give it a sniff. It’s a bit dingy. You can manage. 

“Maybe I’ll do some laundry? You can show me where?” You suggest. 

His eyes narrow. 

“I’ll do yours too. I don’t mind. I’d like to have something to do,” you offer. You’re trying to fill the silence as much as you’re begging to distract yourself from the dread. “If that’s okay with you.” 

His eyes drift. He puts his chin down and examines the dress again. He rents it in two and stomps away. 

You pull the tee shirt on over the towel then slip into the jeans. You loose the towel and button up the flannel. It’s better. 

The door clatters open again. You go to hang the wet towel from the bar in the bathroom and as you return, he carries in a pile of white birch logs. He kicks the door shut and takes them to the fireplace. He lets them roll over the floor. He grabs one and splits it in half with his fingers. You gape. 

“Can I help?” You stay a few feet back as you watch his shoulders. “Are you hungry?” 

He clacks several pieces onto the embers and stokes the fire until it roars. He stacks the rest before he gets up. He faces you and stalks over. You shuffle back frightfully. He points to your stomach then makes a fist. 

“Not all of it makes me sick. I was asking you though.” 

His brows furrow and he snarls. He shakes his head. He’s frustrated but you don’t know why. 

You warily move back to the couch and fold up the leftover clothing. He strides into the kitchen as you place the knapsack and clothes aside. He comes back in with a large metal bucket with handles on the wide brim and a scrubbing board. You only ever saw those in museums. He drops it and it clanges as the board bounces to the other side. 

“Thank you,” you say to conceal your fear. You feel his temper mounting. You want to keep him calm as long as you can. “Will you sit down?” You ask gently. “I wish I could make you some tea. It’s the perfect weather for it.” 

He inclines his head and watches you. His cheek ticks and his eyes flick up as if trying to remember something. He moves towards you and you lurch but don’t back away. He brings his hands to the sides of your face. His thumbs stroke your cheeks and he holds you for just a second before he releases you. 

He brushes close and moves to the couch. He sits with a groan. He doesn’t show the pain but you saw the splotched bruises and the slice along his knee. 

“I’m going to boil some water,” you explain. “Is there a drying rack for me to hang the clothes?” 

He sniffs and stands.  

“You can point and I’ll find it,” you say. “I saw a closet near the kitchen?” 

He blinks and flicks his finger in that direction as he sits back down. You turn and flit towards the door you were too afraid to open. You look inside at the broom; that would have been useful before. 

You drag out a rusting folding rack and bring it to the front room. You put it in front of the fireplace. 

“Is that okay?” You turn to him. 

He waves his hand indifferently. 

You nod and go back to your task. It’s not as terrifying when you have little steps to follow. You find a pot in the cupboard and fill it with water. You put it on to boil then retreat into the bathroom. You gather up his clothes and add them to the heap of the others. 

You take the bar of laundry soap from the bottom of the tub and set it aside. As you wait for the water to boil, you find a cloth and wet it. You wipe the front of his body arm. Black and red mingle on the linen. 

You glance over at him. His eyes are closed. The fire crackles and its glow flickers over him. You put your head down and continue your work. There’s an eeriness to the sudden peace of the cabin. You only then notice how the storm has quieted too.