Chained - Jenlisa

Wider World

For the third time today I catch Lisa poking at her stomach with a curious finger. She's mostly healed, but she twitches every time her fingertip touches her skin.

"Why do you keep doing that?" I ask, watching her poke herself again.

"I'm going to have a new scar," she mumbles. Her hand covers the spot and she splays out her fingers over her abs. Even through her healing process she's somehow kept them defined and strong. I'm fairly certain she worked out when I wasn't looking, which is probably why she took so long to get better.

"Is that okay?" I take a water bottle from the fridge and crack the cap open. My mind wanders to that scar lightening cream that I once thought about. "Do you mind having another one?"

"Not at all." Lisa puts her shirt back down and pats her belly protectively. "It will only get lost in the others. I'll hardly notice it."

"Then why bring it up in the first place?"

Lips puckering, Lisa plops down on the couch. "This is the first scar I've gained in your service."

"Okay, two things," I say, moving to stand in front of the kitchen island to be in Lisa's view. I lean back onto the island and cross my arms over my stomach, water bottle still in hand. "One, you're not in my service, and two, why is getting a scar with me so important?"

"It's not important, per se. But I've gotten scars from all the others. It seems strange that I've just gotten one from you now, and you're not even the one to give it to me."

I sip at my water then turn to put the bottle on the island. "I think it's a good thing I haven't hurt you. Do you disagree?"

Lisa opens her mouth but closes it just as fast, then she hums in thought.

"Is receiving scars some kind of achievement to your people?" I ask instead.

"No. But it's what I know as an individual."

Pursing my lips, I nod slowly. "And do you like getting hurt? Did you like getting the scars you have?"

Lisa's brow furrows and her eyes narrow the slightest as she looks at me. "No," she drawls. I can almost see her mind cranking, trying to figure out where I'm going with this. "Not at all. Each and every one of them caused me great pain. But they-"

"No. Stop," I interrupt. "We're not talking about them. We're talking about you. Now tell me, why would you think I would cause you great pain?"

"You... wouldn't?"

"Are you asking or telling me?"

Lisa shifts uncomfortably. Obviously giving her commands without really giving them makes her nervous. "Telling? Yes. Telling."

I bob my head. "Okay. Since you think I wouldn't cause you great pain, why would you want a scar from me?"

"I..." Lisa's face twists in pain and she holds her hands in her lap, squeezing them. "It's all I know."

My heart aches for her, but I wet my lips and keep going. Lisa needs to know that her past was horrendous. She doesn't have to be a toy anymore. She is her own person and, damn it, I'm going to make sure she knows it.

"What if I told you I grew up in an abusive home?" I ask carefully.

Lisa stands abruptly, her eyes lighter than they should be. "Did you?" she growls. "Who hurt you?"

"Sit down, please, and listen."

When Lisa sits back down, I continue on even with her brighter eyes on me and her jaw clenched dangerously.