This is more fun than English homework, 100%

-Laff POV-

"I know who you are!"

I let out a small wince as the child jumps onto my chest, covering the pain with a giggle as she points excitedly down at me.

"I should hope so, you've been in and out of my house for the past week."

"But I know who you are! I was finally able to get out, and look what I found!"

My smile falters slightly as a handful of magazines are thrust down towards me.

Someone had to find out.

"There's only so many people named Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette. I knew I recognized you from somewhere. And this is you!"

"I suppose so."

She's laughing like a crazy person, clearly proud of herself for figuring out the hot mess that is Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette.

"You seem excited."

"Yes! I am! I figured you out! I solved the mystery of who you are and where I recognized you from. And now! ...now I'm sitting on top of you. I'm so sorry."

She awkwardly slinks over to the side, back to smiling widely as she holds up one of the papers. This one is just an average photo, nothing too special there. But if she's actually done any digging she knows everything.

My fears are confirmed when she flips to the last few of the pile, which is obviously arranged by the date.

"That means these are you too."

"Mhmm."

A collection of magazines that depict my life.

The important and emotional pieces anyways. I frown slightly, always disappointed in these shitty headings that leave out the really important things. 

Sally stops sifting through and goes back to the story with the handprint photo.

"Does Madison know?"

"Not unless you told her."

She gives a small smirk before nodding, looking excitedly at the photograph.

"I'd never tell. I'm just excited at the idea of knowing more about you than she does. Wait, what does she know?"

"This one and... this one. Those are the stories I've told her. I don't think she even knows my profession."

I stare down at the two magazines I pulled out, the HIV one and the wedding one. 

She knows nothing of Alejandro, and it's not something I really planned on telling her. She's fourteen, she doesn't need to know about all that.

Why Sally wants too either is a bit of a mystery.

"Might I ask why you need to know all of this about me?"

"I'm in the presence of a celebrity! And I'm going to be a journalist some day, so I need to gather as much information on you as I can."

"So, you've done your research. What do you need me to say?"

"Oh, this isn't all I've done! I found these as well!"

I chuckle as she eagerly flips through on her phone, groaning slightly when I see it's a video from the rape campaign.

"I have most of the video memorized by now so we don't have to watch it if you don't want too, but I want your opinions on the comments. Mind if I record?"

"Non, go ahead mon amie. I haven't been on here for awhile, maybe it'll be good to see the public's opinion again."

She gives an enthusiastic nod, pulling out a camcorder with one hand and a journal with the other.

Gotta give her credit, the kids committed. 

I absentmindedly pull a leg against my chest as I flip through the comments, smiling at the loving support and tearing up at the bittersweet stories. Reasons like this are why I'll always love my job, the ability to speak out against this shitty world when others can't is a nice thing.

"Oh... Merde."

The comments tones shift, from those of support to... other things.

Anon: Damn though, look at that sexy man. Those five years would be Worth It! 

Anon: right??? like, he has no license to look this fine. can we really blame alejandro? if i ever had the chance...

Anon: We can Most Definitely blame Alejandro!!! He literally RAPED him!!!

Anon: All those shirtless pics from the slut... he doesn't seem to have much shame. 

Anon: Asking for it, in my opinion. Show some self respect or something. Don't show yourself off just to complain when someone likes what they see.

Anon: He should have taken better care of himself, but that still doesn't make it right! You are all disgusting.

Anon: if wanting him is suddenly a crime, then lock me up too

Anon: I'd most definitely tap that ass if I ever got the chance. 

Anon: can you imagine being his husband though? 

Anon: Don't know how those two got together, guarantee his husband's using him for the looks. I would.

Anon: someone settled hard. Lafayette could've done far better in my opinion. 

Anon: nah mate, Herc's the one settled here. Still with the skank. There's a fine line between empathetic pity and oblivious foolishness.

I'm pretty sure I let out an audible hiss at those last ones, pissed off at the fact they would dare drag Herc into this mess. I don't stop yet though, scrolling a ways before letting the words come back into focus.

I just want to read more of the nice ones again. 

Anon: it's only five years, and I guarantee you that was the best night of Alejandro's life! Prison for one night with him... Sounds like one hell of a deal to me.

Anon: Am I a bottom? No. Do I enjoy kinky sex? No. But when I say either Laff or Alejandro could tie me up and do as they pleased, I mean it. Hot damn, sexy mans.

Anon: if I see that sexy ass man in public, you can bet that when the time comes I'd do whatever it takes to find a way to get him and I in a-

"I think I'm done with this one."

She gives a confused nod, gasping softly when she looks at the phone screen.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't get that far down, I didn't realize-"

"Relax, mon amie. You get used to it. They just hurt more now than before the incident."

I flop onto my back again, relieved when she flips the camera away.

"I honestly had no idea-"

"Please. Just talk about something else. I'll be fine."

She gives another hesitant nod as I curl up, gently bouncing a curly tendril as I wipe my other hand over my face. Attempt not too think about the comments.

That's the part of the job I hate.

Objectification.

Because, regardless of whatever the hell I'm wearing or saying, I'm still a person. 

"Can I ask about something else instead?"

"Oui, anything else."

"What's this from?"

When I said anything, I was hoping for anything but that.

"You want to know about the scars?"

"If you want to talk about them, yes. No one knows really anything about that night except for the people there, as far as I've read. And I want to know the whole story."

"The whole story?"

"Yes!"

"I don't think that's something you need to hear."

It's true, nothing much has been released as far as what happened to me. Because, if I put it all out there, Herc will hear it. And Herc feels bad enough already. 

Even though it's not his fault. 

Even though they hurt him too.

But they hurt us all, and I'm not done with this story.

I close my eyes, biting nervously on my cheek as I think.

"Give me a second while I figure out the words, okay mon amie?"

Mr. Mulligan looking me up and down, kneeling on my hands that he has pressed to my sides. His hands pull at my hem, flipping my shirt as high up as he can without my arms being lifted. 

A sliver object glints as he pulls it slowly from his pocket, examining it in the light.

Knife. 

It seems fitting that this is how I die.

The same position from the worst night of my life.

I don't grant his smile any satisfaction, squeezing my jaw tight and staring up at the ceiling as I ignore the blades tip trailing along, just barely pressing against my skin.

All other noise seems nonexistent at this point as I feel myself waiver. As I feel the knife press deeper, blood tainting the edge as he dangles it over my face.

"Fuck off."

"Language! Hasn't your 'wonderful' husband told you such things aren't tolerated in this household?"

"But stabbing me is?"

My only response is the blade lowering a second before the weight moves off of me. There's some frantic yelling in Irish from my husband, and I close my eyes a second as I try to make sense of the language.

A quick pain snaps across my chest, causing me to let out a small grunt and another hiss. I'd like to just completely shriek, but the two kids are here.

"L-la-aff?"

I cry as I hear my husbands broken voice from across the room.

Help him anyway I can.

"Herc, I'm alright."

Snap.

"You can get through this."

Snap.

"You're so strong babe."

Snap.

"I love you Herc."

Snap.

"I'm okay."

Snap.

"'Kay baby?"

Snap.

Sarah is smiling, the lashes getting quicker and harsher every time I try to talk to Herc. My entire body is covered at this point, more angry red lines adding by the second.

There's a small tussle between Sarah and Hugh, ending when the kid gets a hard slap across the face. He backs down instantly as she retreats, I'm assuming back to hurt my husband based on the loud wailing and snapping noises.

The knife is back on my skin, forming small marks along my chest as I let out a choked sob. A hand attempting to cover my mouth, him letting out a yelp as I bite it away.

My husbands cries filling the air, loudly.

"Hey Hugh, wanna know something?"

He doesn't really move, continuing the line he's making down my side as blood draws again.

"I'm not a submissive bottom."

 I swing a leg up, hard, driving my knee into some part of his back.

A small hiss escapes as blood pours from my side, cut deeper from the jolt of throwing him off. I scramble over to my husband, shirt still in an awkward half off half on position when I feel something connect with my head.

A small cry escapes as my face is smashed against the floor, barely allowing me a glance at the balled up mess that is my husband on the floor.

Herc needs to be okay.

"Herc, listen to me. Focus on-"

The belt coming down, hard, along my back.

"Mhmm, spank me bitch."

A noise of disgust from Sarah, a harsh line flaring across my face as I giggle like a dork.

Everything hurts. 

So much.

"Of all the men to pick you just had to find an annoying one too. All the more reason to dump him and repent." 

Herc says nothing, completely shut down at this point. He looks terrified.

I make an attempt to reach for him, to hold him, but I'm pulled back as a hand clasps my neck.

"Choke me daddy."

See, if I actually had some of these kinks, this would be a Wild night. For all involved.

But I don't, thankfully depending on how you look at it.

I feel my windpipe being crushed slowly, enough to let through air but not enough to satisfy the need to breathe completely.

"Now, you can shut up and we'll leave you out of this. We'll let you go."

"And- Herc?"

He smirks down at me, shaking his head as I look frantically for my husband. The grip loosens enough for me to talk properly, and I force my own face to match his smirk.

"Then no. I'm going to talk as much as I can."

"That's a poor choice on your part."

"What're you going to do, punish me daddy?"

My head is slammed down to the floor, a cloth forced into my mouth as I struggle uselessly. Every movement shoots a pain through my entire body and I eventually give up on thrashing around and lie still as tears flow.

"Pathetic, faggot."

Something covers my eyes, tied tightly behind my head so it digs into my skin. The weight on my chest shifts slightly lower, my hands still held tightly against me. There's a small chuckle before something touches my skin.

It's not pressing into me particularly hard, but my back arches up as the object connects.

It's so damn hot.

Any noise I'm making is severely muffled, but my entire body is screaming as I shake my head vigorously. The tears flow harder as the hot metal continues to burn into my skin.

And then it's finally over.

I feel my body go limp, the muscles that were just locked together falling apart as the pain continues. The metal is gone but the burning stays, leaving my entire body shaking harder than I ever thought possible.

"You like that, fag?"

Shake my head uselessly again as the searing pain is placed back on my chest. And then moved and placed back.

Over and over, every time I think it's finally done it comes back.

"The outside finally matches the inside. If you're so proud of it, then wear it."

Blindfold ripped away, allowing me to look at the burnt word across my chest. The gag removed, allowing me to let out a few choked sobs that I attempt to quiet. 

For Herc's sake.

There's another loud wailing from him, and Sarah smirks as she glances in his direction.

"Is this all you've got?" The words are a shaky, broken mess.

But it works, because her full attention is back on me.

I receive no warning, the knife plunging into my skin and tracing along the burnt lines roughly.

Words cannot describe the amount of pain I am in right now.

My vision has gone white at this point, eyes rolling back as the skin is torn and shredded beneath the knife. Everything feels silent and so, so loud at the same time. The constant shriek I'm omitting drowning out everything else that could be happening.

I try to stop.

Quiet myself for Herc's sake. 

But it's hard, each new cut bringing on another level of pain as Sarah smiles.

"Cocky little fags should learn their place."

"Ne-never."

The belt coming back, sending a jolt through me as all of the cuts and burns are hit with one hard snap.

Screaming, louder than I knew humanly possible. 

And it's coming from me.

Do it for Herc. Take this, because if you don't he'll have too.

There's a gentle movement over my wrist, the snake heading over to explore Sarah's ankle.

"Knew you'd be able to do it, darlin." I whisper shakily as it flicks its tongue around, searching. 

My entire body is still shaking and burning in pain as it slithers back off of me, and I bite my lip to prevent any more noise from coming out.

The scream from Sarah is far too loud after all the pain she just put me through.

But the weight is gone. I'm free to move.

As soon as I physically can.

I hear a shuffle from the direction of the kids and ignore the pain as I quickly pull my shirt over the scars. 

The fabric rustling against me is not helping.

But my boys look terrified. And they need me to help them.

I snatch the snake away and push the two of them out the door as they stand there uselessly.

"Lovely meeting you bitches, but I'm afraid we best get going."

No reaction, because Sarah's dramatic ass is still worried about the snake I have curled around my wrist.

"Belle nouille."

The boys are dropped into their seats, I was carrying Herc and pretty much just dragging Hugh along to the vehicle.

I'm not letting Hugh go alone tonight.

I ensure everyone has seatbelts on, no matter how painful they may feel, and turn a key in the ignition.

"I'm just going to drive."

"Please do."

I don't say anything as that night flashes through my mind, absentmindedly provoking me to cover my scarred up chest. Sally cocks her head slightly, pencil itching at the edge of her notepad as I smile softly.

"The answer to what happened is a lot. You might just wanna record this one."