Chapter 7: Divine Violence

Suiren was received home by a barking Tofu, as most small dog he liked to make a big deal out of absolutely nothing.

"Shush Tofu it's just me," she rolled her eyes tossing her keys and her book bag on the chair by the entrance.

She sighed knowing she was home alone, she had a rare evening off and decided she would make dinner. There really was no rush since the Professor would undoubtedly lose track of time working at the museums new exhibition and Eros would be home late on account of it being his turn to close up the café for the day.

"Come Tofu," she called after him as she made her way upstairs.

🌸

"I'm here!" Achilles hollered stepping in the house. Tofu ran to him barking his head off. "It's me you brat... you know I let them keep you ungrateful dog," he frowned at him.

"Kitchen!" Suiren yelled back.

"Heh," Achilles knew she was thinking it was Eros. He didn't care, he let his imagination run away with thoughts of them sharing a home and hearing her greet him everyday. His thoughts were short lived on account of her shouting.

"Tofu shut up!" Suiren yelled.

Tofu left Achilles running back towards his master. Achilles made his way in the same direction, he stopped to take in the sight of her in the kitchen. Curls that resisted being tied up high at the top of her head fell around the thin wire framed glasses she wore. Achilles smiled at her choice of outfit... barefoot, shorts and an old Nirvana T-shirt of his.

"Silly dog it's only Eros," she said tossing the dog a cucumber slice she was snacking on. Without looking back she asked, "I thought you closed today. Did you bring me tea?"

Achilles peeled his shoulder off the wall he was leaning against. "No, I wasn't aware you were expecting tea."

Suiren spun around to face him in surprise. "You're not Eros."

He chuckled, "No I am not," he stated.

"Why are you here? The professor isn't home yet and Eros isn't either." Suiren narrowed her eyes.

"I came for dinner," he shrugged a shoulder. He made his way towards her. She leaned back as Achilles leaned over her nonchalantly to grab a slice of the cucumber she'd been eating.

As he loomed over her she took in his scent. Her mind went into overdrive, why was she smelling him?! Moron! Push him away! Her mind demanded, but no matter how her mind screamed at her she stood there dazed by the familiarity of his scent alone. He had the same smell as that summer three years ago. An intoxicating combination of oak and what she now could identify as geraniums. Why did he have to be so attractive! She grimaced as he invaded her personal space.

As he finally moved she let her eyes graze over her shoulder at him. "You can't cook for yourself?" She snapped feeling her agitation rise.

He shrugged, "Moms food is always better."

She snorted, "Now I know that is a lie, the Professor doesn't cook that's why you—" she let her voice trail off.

Achilles chuckled shaking his head, "Bunny still pretending you don't remember me. Look, it's just you and me... so can we drop the act for now?"

She let out an exasperated groan. "If you're going to be here and hover at least help julienne the carrots," she snapped throwing a bundle of carrots at him.

He caught them as they crashed against his chest. Achilles smiled, just a little more pushing was needed. "Do you want me to go?" He asked taking a step closer towards her. "If I remember correctly you used to like me hanging out while you cooked. You were so cute about it too, always turning back to ask me if you'd done it correctly."

The corner of Suiren's lips were turned down her eyebrows knitted together she slapped the knife down on the chopping board. She began cracking her knuckles.

Achilles set the carrots off to the side and narrowed his eyes waiting for her next move. He could tell she was holding back and she was about to burst.

"You left me you horses ass!" Suiren finally shouted her hands balled into fists.

Achilles was not shocked by her anger, he was expecting it, he was however surprised she'd called him an ass.

She turned to face him. "I thought I was over it, I guess I still hate you." A sarcastic smile spread wide across her face.

Achilles raised his eyebrows, he'd expected anger maybe hoped for some tears that he could gallantly wipe away however her sarcasm and disdain made things more interesting. He allowed himself a smirk, she said she hated him but her sideways glances when she thought he wasn't looking told a different story. He sighed, "That's a shame Bunny, see I dearly love you." He opted for telling her the truth... with a hint of a teasing smile to gauge her reactions. Achilles reached out to twist his finger around one of the loose spirals cascading down her shoulders. He caught the fall of her smile and the widening of her eyes.

Her eyes, those two drops of honey that stared right back into his own. Honesty dripping from them no matter how many lies crossed her lips they betrayed her time and time again.

Suiren blinked the surprise away stepping away from his touch. Sneering she replied, "You're so full of shit Tiger Paws."

Achilles was surprised to hear his old college moniker but grinned remembering she liked to use it.

His amusement only further aggravated Suiren. "Stop smiling you bastard, it's aggravating." She scoffed returning to chopping vegetables.

When she thought she'd had the last word she suddenly felt Achilles pressed behind her. Before she could react he'd already placed his hands over her wrists holding her in place.

She gasped feeling herself trapped against him. "Let go," she demanded her voice cracking.

Without even a flinch at her attempts of escape, Achilles leaned close into her ear. "I let you have the first insult, can't say I didn't deserve it..."

Suiren stopped struggling at the gravelly notes in his low voice. It was dangerous and exciting. She felt the heat in her face rise, she was sure he could see the blush on her ears and hear her heart beating down against her rib cage.

"...do not call me names Suiren," he finished.

Suiren could feel his lips graze over her ear leaving a trace of heat. Ah, the way he said her name, much different than when in his role of professor, she felt her thudding heart pound against her chest. Achilles was an authoritarian through and through however that was not the voice of threat and menace it was a voice of sweet seductive indulgence and she suddenly wanted nothing else but to melt into him. Sighing in defeat she resorted to simply nodding. Again she was the prey caught without escape with no choice but obey.

"Now tell me how you really feel," he whispered easing the grip on her wrist. He slid his fingers down to hers intertwining them with his own. Sly hands.

Suiren let out a groan, this she recognized. There she was playing into the palm of his hand like always. Since his arrival he'd pushed her until she snapped and after letting her simmer he'd carefully coaxed the truth out of her...as was his way. Surely three years had not gone by in vain and she was certainly no longer that teenage delinquent longing for a champion. She didn't need Achilles, she didn't want Achilles... if only she could convince her body. Her body betrayed her reminding her of a need building up in a form of a knot in her gut. And lord! Why did he have to smell that divine?!

"Get off of me Achilles," she responded through her teeth using her shoulders to shrug him off. "I am categorically livid."

Achilles let go of her hands and took a step away from her.

As soon as she felt him release her she turned to face him. Eyebrows smashed together, lips pressed tight she began to crack her knuckles. "I detest you- no in fact abhor the simple idea of having you back." Her left eyebrow flicked upward as she tilted her chin up toward him.

Achilles flinched at her words, it was worse than he'd thought. Oh but she had just gotten started.

"You're a thoughtless, shameless flirt and that's all fine as long as you stay away from me. I have a scholarship to maintain, looking for a second job and a novel to write so even if I wanted to indulge you, oh mighty Achilles, I do not have the time for your egotistical games. Go play with one of the many students fawning over you." She spat at him every word saturated in hostility holding his gaze with intent and disdain.

Achilles combed his fingers through his hair to keep him from grabbing that stubborn chin between his fingers and satisfying his need to taste the same lips that cursed him. What a sight his sweet bunny was! No longer trembling, no longer scared her eyes glimmered as she stared daggers into him. She stood there hands on her hips challenging, his bunny had grown claws and seemed determined to use them. Suiren was undeniably enraged with him and he knew it was time for the explanation he obviously owed her.

"Fair enough Suiren, fair enough," he began. Cracking a smile he added, "how eloquently spoken, a writer no doubt."

She was content with the compliment but didn't allow herself to smile, keeping her lips tightly pressed.

"I know you hate me, I know I hurt you."

She dropped her hands down to her sides.

"I owe you an explanation."

He watched Suiren slit her eyes at him.

"Look after college I was to go back to Spain to learn the family business—"

"Yes yes with your dad I knew that already," she waved a dismissive hand.

"Right, of course the point is you-"

Suiren put her hand up interrupting him once again, "Yeah I already know, I was just a kid with so many issues in the end I was going to be nothing more than a hindrance to you."

Achilles held the bridge if his nose between his thumb and his index finger while his eyebrows smashed down together. "What?! No! Will you stop and let me finish," Achilles shook his head. He felt a pang of guilt for making her feel that way.

She scoffed, "Please Achilles spare me any coddling I know what I was- am," she gave a small wryly laugh. "You know actually I have to commend how clever you were, the day you left, he shoved me out of my bedroom window so very fortunate your timing otherwise I would've probably ran crying to you... not that I could run," she shrugged her shoulder. "A hindrance." She unconsciously lifted her fingers to press them against the scar just above her collar bone. She hadn't meant to sound like she was feeling sorry for herself but the sympathy in the way Achilles looked back at her let her know she'd said too much.

Achilles' father had been a martial arts enthusiast and had insisted Achilles pick up a skill. Choosing Mauy Thai he had trained since childhood hence he knew how to take a hit however as Suiren spoke he felt himself sucker punched to the gut and out of breath. How did he not know? Why didn't anyone tell him? Eros would hear about it later. Now all he could do was listen and regret. Achilles knew the "he" she referred to and he knew of the circumstances in her home but he hadn't expected her crazy drunkard stepfather to go as far as shoving her out a window.

"Bunny I know I've been an ass, I shouldn't have left you at all— I thought you would move into the dorms leave your family issues behind and get a sense of normalcy, that's what I wanted for you." As he explained he fought the urge to reach out a hold her.

Suiren turned back to the vegetables she'd been chopping. Shrugging she answered, "It doesn't matter Achilles so stop looking at me like that."

Achilles frowned, "like what?"

"Like a wounded animal," she replied letting the knife slam against the cutting board. "I should've been smarter, I shouldn't have played you up in my head like some hero— honestly I don't even think I care anymore."

Achilles sighed, indeed he'd pushed her far enough and there were gaps in his information much to his annoyance. "I know you hate me," he began.

Suiren stopped chopping vegetables but didn't turn to face him

"And you have no reason to believe me," he continued, "my intentions were never to hurt you. I had planned to come back for you this entire time. I wish I had been here, I wish you would've run crying to me."

Suiren stayed quiet not daring to move or say anything in response. She knew her voice would betray her and crack, her eyes would spill the tears they were holding back and she knew her arms would undoubtedly wrap around Achilles in fear he might leave again.

Achilles closed the distance between them wrapping his arms around her waist. She gasped but didn't struggle to be released. Bowing his head into the crook of her neck he whispered,

"I am so sorry Suiren, that much I want you to believe."

Suiren cleared her throat forcing away the knot in her throat. "Bullshit," she shrugged him off of her her. "Just leave me alone." Her tone was cool and unfazed as she simply continued to chop her vegetables.

Silence stretched between them, the only sound was the knife against the cutting board and the shuffling sounds of Tofu's paws against the hardwood floors. Achilles backed further away, she was snow beautiful and cold and he couldn't help but blame himself for having a hand in her becoming that way. He would've preferred her righteous rage in the form of her yelling at him, in fact that's what he had expected. Instead, in the same kitchen he'd once taught her how to cook, in the place he'd first kissed her, wearing his old T-shirt she kept her anger in silence. He thought he knew her well but his bunny was some kind of goddess now. Achilles couldn't shake the feeling that her wrath would surely come saturated in divine violence.