𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐤 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 - 𝐄𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬𝐞

8: Punishment

Miyu explained everything to Yui, and she let the girl stay in the shallow part. 'Don't go to the deep end, alright? Practice here for a while.' 

'I will.' Yui is happy to learn how to swim. 'Thank you for this.' 

'You're welcome. I'll go swimming for a few lengths. I'm not far away.' Miyu swims at her pace. 

Ayato woke up to voices and followed them. Only to see that Miyu is teaching Yui how to swim. You're mine after this. And I will punish you first. 

'Miyu, next Saturday again?' Yui holds the stairs while seeing the girl swim at a pace that she'll never be able to catch up on. 

'Sure, Saturdays only.' Miyu has her pace. 'Can I swim twenty lengths?' 

Yui nods. Absolutely, I'm glad that she's willing to teach me. 'How long do I have to stay in the shallow part?' 

'Until you're confident enough about your swimming skills,' answers Miyu. 'I swim every morning for thirty minutes. Don't go swimming by yourself just yet.' 

'I won't,' promises Yui. 

*** 

Ayato knew she got to the bathroom with some clothes and was waiting for her to come back. He sees that her outfit is casual. A normal skirt reaching her knees with a sweater. He comes off from her bed. 'You're mine now.' 

Miyu is able to throw her other clothes in the laundry basket before being teleported to a different room. Looking around, she recognized some things. 

'This is for making me wait.' Ayato grabs the rope. 'But first... take your shirt off or I will.' 

Miyu knows it's useless to go against him. And how do you plan to torture me? She keeps quiet and takes her sweater off slowly. After that, she holds onto the rope that is tied around her wrists. 

'What? Not willing to make a sound. You will once I start punishing you.' He gets her hair out of the way and sees the scars on her back. Who did this to you? It doesn't matter. My punishment first. He takes the whip and stands behind her. 'You kept me waiting for a week. Five whips for each day. That's a total of thirty-five.' He lashes out to start her punishment. 

The first hit her back, Miyu feels it but she doesn't make a sound. Only a physical reaction when the whip comes in contact with her back. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. She counts them. 

'It must hurt, Trickster. Why won't you scream?' He stops for a moment and sees the wounds of the whip on her back. 'No, not a sound? Fine by me.' Ayato continues with the whip and realizes that the girl won't make a sound. 

She counts them again. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. A small break again? 

He recognized her scars. You've been punished before with the whip. For a moment, he touches an old scar. 'Who did this to you, Miyu?' 

'Does it matter?' She wants to be done with it. 

'No, it doesn't make a difference.' He stands at a distance and resumes her punishment. 

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. She counts in her mind. 

Subaru shows up for smelling blood. Blood which he tasted before. 'This is how you punish her? How many whips?' 

'Thirty-five. Five for each day she made me wait,' reacts Ayato. 

Miyu's hair hangs half in front of her face when she sees him. 

Subaru grabs her chin to look at her. 'And all this time not a sound?' 

'No, not even a whimper. She does seem to count them.' Ayato notices the others coming into the room.