MANIPULATED Book A (Sequel to Tempted)

5. Blood Stains

❌possible trigger warning❌

The two of you have been talking for a long time, so it's already morning. There's no sense in falling asleep again, but you're extremely weary.

You make yourself a cup of your favorite caffeinated beverage, wrapped in a blanket, and sit on the couch of your dark living room.

You don't feel like making any videos today because you're drained. So you are just going to rest on the couch. That was too much information to take in all at once.

Anti shows up and turns on the television. But he does it for background noise purposes and not for watching. He is too deep in thought about Dark. As you are tucked into a ball on the end of the couch, Anti sits at the other end, his leg bouncing up and down. And in his hands he is twirling his knife. Memorized by the glare of the light that reflects off it.

You too, find yourself watching the glare flicker from the blade. It reminds you of something.

You suddenly have a certain urge to go do something, so you get up, leave your blanket, and head to your room.

You remember where you placed it. In the top drawer of your dresser, is a cloth wrapping something delicate. You take it out and unravel the cloth to find the knife that Anti gave you.

You sit on your bed, admiring the blade. You twirl it in your hands and rub your thumb over the engraving that has your name.

You remember when you got it. This knife holds dark memories, but you still keep it safe, because those dark memories are the reason why you are the way you are now.

Plus it truly is a beautiful piece of metal. The shine on the silver blade, the way the handle places itself perfectly into your hand, the equal weight distribution that makes the knife swing easily without losing grip. It truly was meant for you.

Meant to be... Used.

You press the side of the blade up to your cheek. To feel the cool metal against your skin. The chill is almost as sharp as the blade.

The knife is so precise and petite, you don't even think the cut of a wound would show up on skin.

That is until the color of by blood appears around it...

Now you think of how beautiful and intriguing blood actually is...

Deep

Crimson

Blood slowly dripping from an invisible wound, dying the skin as it follows an undulating path.

You put the tip of your finger on the tip of the blade.

There! I see it!

The scarlet ribbon has started to run down the blade.

So smooth...

It flows to the bottom. Putting an end to the dance.

You must see it again.

You press just slightly harder down on the blade. Now more blood drips. A little flows onto the flat part of the blade as well, now it is branching in many different directions.

Astounding.

You watch it dance its way down towards the bottom. It touches the engravement, filling in each of the crevices. Filling in each letter in each word with blood. Like red ink.

You feel tears sting in your eyes. But you don't know if its from the beauty of the blood, or the pain.

You know its not the pain because how can you feel something you don't have!?

You laugh out loud as the tears start to dance their way down your face.

The blood now drips onto your hand and onto the carpet floor by your feet.

Now that's funny!

You laugh even louder. You HAVE to see that again.

Now you can't stop yourself when you go and slice the blade across four of your fingers. Your laugh turns into a sudden scream of pain.

And you snap out of it.

You gasp as you realize what you'd done and rush into the bathroom. Slamming the door and dropping the knife into the sink.

Shit it hurts

You grab any cloth or towel near you to try to stop the bleeding. But it keeps coming through.

You turn on the water to wash the cloth and the knife.

Then comes a knock a the door. You hear a voice.

"(Y/n) are you alright? I heard you scream."

He sounds concerned. You reply through gritted teeth, "I'm fine... I-I'll be out in a second."

You shuffle around to find Band-Aids as fast as you can.

"Can I come in?"

You say this time a little more forceful. "I said I'll be out!"

You finally find some in the cubboard and take out four, and wrap one tightly around each finger, creating a diagonal pattern of Band-Aids along your hand.

Now you wash off the knife and watch the blood and water mixture flow down the drain.

You dry it off with a cloth and leave it wrapped on the counter.

When you finally open the door, Anti is there with his nose almost touching the door frame. He steps back to look at you. You hide your bandaged hand behind your back, hoping he won't notice.

"I'm fine. Just had an... accident..."

Anti immediately grabs your hand and sees the strange array of Band-Aids. They're bleeding through already.

"I'm fine..."

He looks at you with stern eyes. He doesn't believe you, and takes you back into you room.

He can't heal you because this was your doing and not his. So the least he can do is bandage it up correctly.

He kneels in front of you as you sit on your bed, focused in his work. You watch his eyes move back and forth from each finger. You catch him as he notices the fresh blood stains on the carpet, but he says nothing.

You break the silence.

"We should do something."