The Hurt Game

❧ fifty-one

My feet were quiet as I walked into the living room. I wrapped my cardigan around me, keeping the cold out. My steps faltered as my eyes landed on Royden's back.

What are you up for, sweetheart?

"Good morning," I greeted him in a mumble as I entered the kitchen.

"Hey, good morning," he said, leaning down to press a kiss to my cheek.

"How's your side?" I asked as I lifted his shirt. The bandage was still in the right place and I didn't dare to peek. The doctors said it could be removed within three to five days.

"It's fine, hurts like a motherfucker though," he answered.

"Have you taken the painkillers?"

"Yes." A long pause. "How are you?"

I looked up at him while reaching for a mug. I nodded my head and came back to stand on my feet instead of tiptoes. "I'm fine."

I walked over to the coffee machine and let it run, pouring coffee in my mug. As I turned around, Royden slid a bowl with yoghurt and fruits towards me. My eyes flickered up to him, meeting him.

He simply shrugged his shoulders. "Decided to be nice today," he said. His voice was casual and he tried to look as well, but I could see the adoration in his eyes and the little smile that crept on his face.

A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips. "Thank you," I murmured. I stood next to him and pressed a kiss on his cheek before reaching for a spoon to eat my breakfast with.

"Anything for you."

His words made my blush and I focused on eating my yoghurt with fruits―blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and a banana. This had become one of my favourite breakfasts, and especially when the fruits were fresh.

It remained silent between the two of us and when the coffee machine was done pouring coffee in my mug, it became silent all together. Eventually Royden left the room. I watched him retreat to his office.

A soft sigh escaped my lips as I finished my breakfast. While the coffee was slightly cooling down, I went into our bedroom and grabbed my bag. As I walked out, I noticed the door of the office was open.

I furrowed my eyebrows, but I didn't dare to step in and check in. I wouldn't want to disrupt him. Besides I had to head out in a few minutes to make it in time to work. I hadn't been in for two days and I didn't have time to contact Arthur about how things with the store were going. It wasn't going good though, that much I knew.

Royden was sitting on the couch, reading on his phone. I walked back in the kitchen to finish my coffee. I rinsed and put it in the dishwasher.

"Waverly." The way he spoke my name so seriously made me stop what I was doing. I stayed standing next to the kitchen counter. He wasn't looking at me. He was staring ahead of him, deep in thought.

"What is it?" I asked him when he didn't continue.

He sighed deeply before standing up, a gun in his hands. He had a gun in his hands. What for?

I swallowed thickly. My eyes flicked back and forth, him and the gun and back on him to fall back on the gun again. "Why do you have a gun?"

"I want you to have it," he said. My eyes shot to his. His were guarded and empty of emotion.

I shook my head. "What—I don't understand. What's going on, Roy?"

He walked up to me, gun comfortably set in his hands. I watched his eyes, didn't move away as they softened and emotions flooded back in. He extended the gun towards me, but I wouldn't take it.