SEATTLE, WA
CHAPTER 𝐓𝐖O
ꜰʀɪᴅᴀʏ, ᴏᴄᴛᴏʙᴇʀ 31ꜱᴛ
10:25 ᴀᴍ
narrative.
FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS, adrian has been seeing armin every friday. although most of their sessions turned unprofessional because they turned into him asking about her, she didn't mind answering a few questions, still keeping that boundary between them.
armin had never shown much interest in any of his doctors, but he wanted to know everything about her. her likes and dislikes, why she decided to become a psychiatrist, where'd she go to school, how did she like working at here and etc. he loved talking to adrian because she made him feel seen and heard, always listening intently and knew exactly what to say to him.
adrian decided to switch up the routine for today, instead of sitting his room, she requested for him to meet in her office. there were a few minutes before their session started so she quickly prepped her notes and checked over them.
the turning of the doorknob snapped her out of her thoughts. two guards walked through the door with an evidently irritated armin between them. his head was low but she could spot the scowl across his lips.
"where do you want him?" one guard asked, gripping one of armin's biceps tightly.
"you can sit him on the couch." adrian cleared her throat, giving the guards a nod of appreciation as they left the room.
adrian finally faced him, putting on her white coat. he was lying down on the couch, tense in his straightjacket but with a small smirk spread across his face.
"you look and smell good, beautiful." armin spoke, his eyes raking down her body. adrian shook her head, taking a seat in the chair next to him as she took out her small notepad.
"we've been over this a bunch of times already, armin." adrian began, "but how've you been?"
armin shrugged, licking his lips. "you know how i've been." he responded, his voice low and smooth. "i've been... keeping myself occupied."
adrian kept her expression neutral. "four people are dead, armin."
the raven haired man shrugged. "so? one of them called you a bitch. some were saying what they would do to you that i'd rather not speak on. another one said that he'd rip your throat out if you got too close."
a pause hung heavy in the air.
"i didn't like that." armin said, quieter now. "didn't think it was respectful. i didn't want to hear their voices anymore."
adrian's expression stayed neutral, but his words carved something cold through her spine. "so you decided to kill them."
"i protected you."
"that's not your job." she replied, sharper than she intended. "you don't get to decide who lives and dies."
armin smirked again, but it didn't reach his eyes. "i already did."
the silence that followed was different— thicker, weighted. adrian knew she was losing ground. whatever fine line she'd been walking with him had began to dissolve.
but she couldn't afford to show unease or fear.
she scribbled a few words down and stood. "that's enough for today."
"already?" armin tilted his head back toward her. "i was just getting comfortable."
adrian turned to the door, signaling the guards outside. as the lock clicked and the door opened, she glanced back once.
armin was staring at her, head low, lips barely moving-but she caught the words. "i'd kill again... if they talked about you like that."
she didn't reply. she didn't have to. but something in her chest ached as the door shut behind him.
SLAUGHTER HOUSE.
short¿ + unedited.
