November.

It's the first of November.

Another month with Mason.

Lately I have been thinking more and more of just walking out that door. It's something I could do but the repercussions would be too much. I leave and my friend, Tommy, gets hurt or his children and I know it's not an empty threat. Mason was a man of his word. Always has been.

So I can stay. I can take the beating and correct the error of my ways and everyone stays safe. It's been a month since I saw my friend. Mason wouldn't let me, he keeps saying Tommy was a bad influence on me. He keeps saying Tommy was always trying to take me from him and he wouldn't allow it.

It's been days since I returned home. It didn't look like the bruise was fading but it honestly didn't hurt as much.  I haven't seen Aizen either. Every time I'd go for a walk, I'd stop and stare at the stairs leading to Aizen's apartment and I always, always, for some reason think about going up there and knocking on the door.

But what would I say? What would we talk about?

We were strangers and I was just his neighbour that he helped once, there was nothing more to it. I didn't want to be a burden to him. So I stayed in my lane. Mason hasn't touched me in days either, he has been sweet. Kissing my cheeks, pulling me in for a cuddle or a hug. I don't even remember the last time that we had sex. And even then, all I remembered about it was pain. Pain. Pain. Pain.

It seemed that was what made up my life lately.

Shit. I remember when I used to be happy and now I don't even remember the last time I laughed.

it's seven thirty and Mason had just left for work. I had to clean up the house and get ready for the day. I already had my shower and was dressed in a comfy large baby blue jumper and faded culotte jeans, my red hair falling past my brows in it's usual fluffy fringe and my ever present sunglasses.

I had woken up with a headache and it was a persistent little thing. I rubbed at my forehead as I made my way to the little basket we keep on top of the fridge where we keep medication. I took some paracetamol and pushed it down with some water.

Cleaning the house took longer than it usually did because the headache didn't go away. Once I was done with that, I had to take the bin out. I made sure the door was locked before making my way down the stairs. One of my neighbours was coming out the door, just as I was walking down the stairs and she didn't even look at me. She just shut her door and walked away.

People sucked.

I went over to the large bin outside and dumped the black bag in it. When I turned around, a range rover pulled to a stop right beside the building and Aizen walked out. He had on an all black suit, black shirt too, his hair was styled off his face and a ray of sunlight bounced off the shiny cover of his expensive looking watch. There was a frown on his face and phone pressed to his ear.

I looked away from him and walked towards the doors. I climbed the first of the two steps there and  was about to step on the other when I tripped. I flailed my hands, trying to keep myself from falling but it was no use, I was already falling.

I put my hands out, ready to break the fall, when someone grabbed my jumper and pulled me back. Their hands settled on my waist. I was breathing hard and my sunglasses were on the floor, the same place my face would have been if I wasn't saved.

"I just watched you trip over air." My saviour said. It was the same voice I have heard a couple of times. It was Aizen. His hands were still on my waist and I tried to calm myself down. I turned around, pulling his hand away from my waist.

Aizen took one look at me and it seemed like he was frowning even more than before.

"Are you even applying ointment to your bruises or do you like looking like a zebra?" Aizen asked and I frowned at him. He didn't have to be so mean.

"I was going to say thank you but a mean person like you doesn't deserve my thanks." I said. I picked up my sunglasses, sliding them on as I walked away. I heard hurried steps behind me and suddenly Aizen was standing in front of me.

"What? Ready to throw another insult at me? I get beat up by my boyfriend and insulted by you, a stranger. I already have enough shit to deal with." I said and pushed past him, quickly making my way up the stairs.

"I'm sorry." said the person behind me and I stopped.

Aizen jogs over and stands in front of me again.

"I was stressed about work and then I saw your face and my anger sort of spilled over. You look like you haven't been applying ointment to your bruises." Aizen said and I wanted to ask him what's it to you but I... couldn't voice out those words. He was the first person in a long time that cared about me.

I sighed and clutched on to the sides of my jumper, looking up at him. "I have. It doesn't hurt as much as it did before."

"Do you need more painkillers?" Aizen asked, his gaze trailing over my body. "Did he hit you again?"

I shook my head. "No, he hasn't. And I have enough painkillers."

"Alright."

The headache was still there though, so maybe I'll just go up, make myself something to eat and sleep it off. I was going to do just that when Aizen phone went off. We both looked down at it and I watched in surprise as he switched it off.

"Work problems?"

"Yeah. I was minutes away from firing some employees." Aizen said and I stared at him with wide eyes.

"Are you like a manager somewhere or d-"

"Manager?" Aizen huffed out with a chuckle. I was intrigued. Mason was just an employee at his company with his cubicle and that one mug that had a picture of us on it. He couldn't fire or hire anyone willy nilly. "No I'm not."

"Do you work for a big company?"

Aizen looked at me, his head tilted to the side. He looked like he was calculating something and I wondered what.

"Sure."

"So... Do you work with HR? Is that why? A friend of mine works in the HR department at Axel Corp, you know, Axel Hotels and Casinos, and he keeps telling me all kinds of stories." I said and Aizen raised a brow. "He says they have the best employees but sometimes a weirdo reveals himself and he has to fire him."

"What friend is this?"

"A good one." I said with a smile. I was so proud of Tommy when he got that job. That was three years ago though and it has been going great for him. Mason had applied there once last year but had gotten rejected. That was not a great time.

"So what are you doing right now?" Aizen asked.

I shrugged and began to walk up the stairs, Aizen right beside me.

"I've got a killer headache and I just want to eat something sweet and take a nap."

"How long have you had this headache?" Aizen asked.

"Just this morning and I have used something but it's still persisting."

"Why don't you come up with me and I'll get you something sweet to eat." Aizen said and I looked at him. He was staring at me right on, there was no hidden meaning in his words and he has helped me out before. He might be mean sometimes but he's actually a really nice person.

"Why are you being nice to me?"

"You called me a mean person less than five minutes ago."

"You might be an asshole but you're also nice. I just want to know why you're being nice to me?" I asked. Aizen looks right at me and pulls off the sunglasses, he takes my hand and places it right in my palm.

"Because you look like you need a friend."

"I already have a friend."

"But he's not here, is he?" Aizen asked and I was shocked into silence. What could I say to that? Actually there was a lot I could say to that but nothing came out of my mouth. I followed Aizen silently as we walked to his apartment.

True to his word, he brings out store bought strawberry trifles. It looked too good to be true and one spoon of it was all I needed. It was still quiet between us but Aizen offered me the remote before sitting with enough space between us.

I settled on an episode of How I Met Your Mother and halfway through the episode, the trifle was finished and by the time we got to the next episode, my eyelids were drooping. I was so comfortable though.

Comfortable and safe.

Maybe I'll just nap for a bit.

—
Slow but steady
Personally I love writing Aizen 😂

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