Twisting the Rules

Chapter 5

Scent

Erin peaks on a small space in the door. She can't see Damian nor Ajax outside. They must be somewhere in this mansion.

She carefully creaked the door open. There was a deafening silence, she saw the same living room she was in the other day. The same old and dusty furniture. Erin must say the ornaments are beautiful, but it's covered in dust so she can't properly look at the details.

Erin wandered in the living room, there was a couch and across it was a big chimney.

'Who uses this nowadays?' Erin thought, because usually a TV set was found in the living room but Ajax doesn't have any appliances. She then belatedly remembers that there was no aircon in his room she's staying in, it's confusing it feels so cold inside.

She can only see wooden furniture made from oak trees. Also, the chimney was made with bricks, a red one. Inside of it was a pile of wood covered in dust.

"What the heck is wrong with that guy? Does he not know how to clean his own house?" Erin asks herself.

She kept on wondering and found the stairs, she remembered how it led her to screaming and bloody Ajax that time.

This man will look elegant only if Ajax tries to clean it at least once a month. Good thing the structures were still in good condition, there was no crack in the walls.

But at the same time it gives her an eerie atmosphere. Erin may not be aware of her surroundings all the time, but she can tell when someone is staring at her. And now, she feels like being watched. That freaks her out.

Erin went outside and saw a garden. She's totally amazed at how beautiful the flowers there are.

There's color blue, pink, white and even yellow. But what attracts her is the black one. She never sees a color black flower, she doesn't even know that this exists.

Erin made her way to a pile of unidentified flowers, she smelled an enticing scent and it ignited her more to touch it. There was no torn nor any harmful parts attached to it, she stretched her hands.

"I won't touch that if I were you." She heard a voice on her back and saw a man.

"Who are you?"

"I should be the one asking you. Who are you and what are you doing here?" his voice became serious and it made Erin shiver.

Is he another friend of Ajax? Then why do they all look like someone who could kill her every damn time?

I-I'm Erin and.." he stops. Yeah, what is Ajax? He isn't even a friend. "Hostage. Yeah, I'm Ajax’s hostage." she said nonchalantly

"I've no time for a joke , lady." the man starts to walk towards her. Wearing a stern look and sharp gaze stabbing her.

"I'm telling the truth!" Erin stops moving backwards when the guy also stops on his track and looks at her with surprise.

What happened?

"Hmmp!" she almost stumbles to see the guy right in front of her, catching her by the waist while giving her a look of adoration and it creeps her out.

"Your scent." The guy smokes, Erin feels his breath on her forehead. Their faces aren't even three inches apart!

Wait.. Did he say her scent?

Erin tried to remember when the last time she took a bath was. Her cheeks reddened to realize she never did since she escaped from home. She must be stinking right now and this guy pointed it out casually.

"It's nice." the guy added.

"Are you insulting me?" Erin pulled herself away from the guy's embrace. It drew a confused look from the guy.

"What?"

"I-I haven’t taken any bath yet for almost t-two days and you're saying I smell nice?" Erin growled.

"Yeah, I knew that."

Her eyes widened. He knew!

"Ysmael!" They heard a voice from their back and saw Damian waving at them. On his side is Ajax walking as usual, like he's on the moon.

"Damian,"

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Damian looked so happy talking to Ysmael.

"I just wanna check if Ajax is still alive." Ysmael said, glancing at Ajax who's glaring at him. "Guess he's still breathing." Ysmael added.

"Of course!" Damian said enthusiastically, almost jumping on his place.

"And I met this lady."

If Erin isn't embarrassed right now, she's already throwing punches to Ysmael.

"Oh, you mean Erin?" Damian points at her.

“Is she also--"

"No." Ajax said, eyes looking at him with a meaningful stare. Are they silently communicating?

"Oh, okay." Ysmael silently said.

"Erin, what are you doing here?" Damian paid her attention and her cheeks got redder. "And why are your cheeks—no your whole face is turning red? Are you sick?"

"N-No.. Uhm.. Can I go back—"

"I told you to stay." Ajax cut her off again.

Erin hates it but she had no other choice.

"C-Can I use your bathroom then?"

***

Erin dipped her whole body under the tub. Dh's been inside the bathroom for the whole 30 minutes. It's like she's cleaning his body thoroughly. God, she's always taking care of her body, especially her face. She always had to make sure there was no pimple nor scratch in every part of her body.

And not taking a bath for almost two days might cause her skin irritation or worse, it can ruin her natural scent!

"Fck it!" she hissed when she remembered she had no skin care products with her. She left it at home. She had planned her escape yet she forgot to pack her things. What a foolish person she is.

She then roamed her eyes around the bathroom. The bathtub is made from wood so as the floor, but there were no scratches or cracks. In fact, Ajax’s bathroom has a cozy and elegant atmosphere.

"Erin, are you done?" she heard Damian on the other side.

"N-Not yet!"

"Oh, okay. I thought you fell asleep while taking a bath. I'll leave the clothes here then. Wear it once you finish. I'll order some food."

By the mention of food, her stomach growled. She's supposed to eat at her apartment, but Ajax came instead of the delivery man. Erin wondered what happened to the delivery man. She felt bad.

"Thank you!"

She heard footsteps slowly fade.

Erin washed herself properly. Making sure to soap her body thoroughly and washing her soft hair. Hoping that these products in Ajax’s bathroom won't irritate her body.

She wore a bathrobe and went outside the room. She saw a pile of clothes on the bed. The ones Damian left.

Erin let the bathrobe slide off her body, uncovering her bare skin. She picked up unused undergarments Damian provided and was about to wear it.

"Can't you be faster?" he heard a voice on her side.

"What are you doing here!? I'm dressing!" Erin automatically covers her private parts from Ajax who is looking at her with a bored expression on his face.

Her face starts getting red.

"I know, I'm just asking you to quickly get dressed, no need to blush." Ajax nonchalantly said.

"Get out!" she yelled, still covering.

But Ajax stayed. Ajax even closed the door behind him!

"Yah!"

She saw Ajax’s eyes trailed from her reddened face down her body. The more Ajax keeps on looking, the redder her face becomes. Erin’s heart palpitates when the man's eyes reach the part she's been hiding.

"Ajax!" she yelled.

"What? There's nothing to be embarrassed of. Continue dressing."

"While you're here?!" Erin asks, and can't believe what she's hearing.

"Yes, it's my house anyway."

"Don't look!" she warned him, Ajax looked away.

Erin slowly picks up the undergarments and wears them quickly. She hid behind the bed, kneeling so she could at least cover her lower part. She then wore the shorts Damian gave, it's above the knee but Erin didn't mind. It's way better than wearing the same dirty clothes again.

Erin slid on the white t-shirt, it's too big for her but she's used to wearing oversized shirts at home.

Erin thinks Ajax isn't just a cold guy but also a pervert!

"Done?" she ignored his question and hung the bathrobe on standee.

"Erin, food is here. Get here quickly." Erin thanks Damian for saving her.

"Yes! Coming!" she walked past Ajax and slammed the door.

Can this day be more embarrassing than it was?