“and this one?” he’d offer, finger trailing lazily over her abdomen, the girl squirming just the slightest under his touch as his warmth, his heat flickered over the skin of her abdomen, up to the side of her rib, his arm draped over her body as he observed such a scar. she knew which one he was speaking of, and while it was easy to explain now, it had been a part of a subject that she had been quite ashamed to touch. 

“it … it was from a fight, once,” she’d mumble, voice softening with a sense of vulnerability that hid underneath the armor of its privacy, of its ambiguity that she had allowed others to guess of before him. such truths weren’t ones that she voiced often, for the shame of such brutality that she once held with shaking hands, such … such malice, easily overwhelmed her and gagged her with the possibilities of the other’s many reactions to it. horror, anger, disappointment, rejection … more often than not, she was too afraid to imagine any thoughts concerning such a thing, simply because she was always certain that they would come true. the world was not kind to her, and those that often wandered in and out of her heart never truly grasped those parts of her ( perhaps because of the possibility of their judgement, their scrutinizing, or more so because of their lack of empathy or understanding. both sounded valid ). but … she knew that he was different, somewhat. and he proved her correct with ease. 

his fingers lingered at the scar that she mentioned, his head tilting (          perhaps visualizing the scenario ; a larger man, most likely, brutalizing a little girl like her : embarrassing, now that she looked back on it        ), before slowly lowering to the fluttering skin that was contorted by such a wound. his eyes lingered on hers for a fleeting moment, though flickered down to the paler skin of her scar, quiet as his lips pressed against the tainted skin. her brow furrowed, frown curling upon soft lips, though softened quite evidently as he glanced up to her once more. his expression lacked any reaction, like always (        the stoicism assured her, in some way ), though her stomach began to churn, began to twist as his lips parted, hands curling into the sheets as she expected the familiar rejection that she often played out in her head. 

“so … you were quite a delinquent in your teens, mm?” 

the question was lighthearted, more so teasing ; and yet it surprised natalia nonetheless. eyes would flutter open, wide with her surprise          only to glisten as she caught sight of the slight quirk upon his lips. all she managed was a slight nod, however, fingers rather tentative as they ran through dark locks of hair. “i see,” he’d continue, lips trailing from the scar up her rib, over the valley of her breasts, (       and the slight nuzzle of her sternum brought a light, almost sheepish giggle to spill from soft lips      ), grazing her collarbone to find his way to her cheek, nose nudging into her jaw as he settled beside her once more. so, taking her chance, she’d slowly shift on her side, eyes fluttering up to her roommate with a relieved, and undeniably fond smile.