Silence.

There was nothing but silence filling the room. It was bouncing off the walls and filled the empty space like water filled the ocean.

With your eyes tightly shut, you waited. Your back was pressed against the concrete wall, the cold was slowly creeping into you.

You expected screaming, harsh touches, maybe even violence.

But nothing came.

Jacob just sat there, arms resting on his legs. His eyes stared at you, right at your hands that held the bottle of water pressed to your trembling chest. His lips moved, he seemed to be at loss for words.

Then, a laugh escaped him.

"Seriously?", he sounded like somebody had told him the worst joke on the planet. "You fucking... You tricked me, you little minx."

He got up from his chair in such a quick, aggressive way that it made you flinch. The chair trembled, tilted and finally crashed to the floor. The sound of metal hitting concrete filled the room.

Goosebumps crawled over your body.

With an expression on his face, that could have come from a madman, Jacob came closer. With his hands supported on the edge of the bed, he kneeled down in front of you and positioned his face so close to yours that the warmth of his breath tickled over your sore skin.

You shivered under the warm touch of the breath.

Gritting his teeth, Jacob tried to keep his composure for a moment. He was so angry, furious almost.

But not because you had disobeyed him, but because he had been stupid. He had been stupid to think that you had something good to say, he had been stupid to wish that you had good words about him.

Secretly he cursed the feeling he had felt when you had smiled at him. It had felt good. Maybe even a little too good. For years he hadn't felt anything like that, and now he did whenever you smiled at him, with those frightened (E/C) eyes and that look on your face as if you didn't fear him, but what his madness.

Sometimes, just sometimes, when he looked at you, he could see that glimmer in your eyes. Then he had always felt safe, as if he could fall into your arms and forget everything.

Why did he feel like that?

Why did you have to exploit this weakness in him?

With a breath that trembled with anger, Jacob closed his eyes and ran both hands through his red hair. He felt like a coward, tricked by such simple words.

And yet.

The hope in him had been so strong. He had hoped to hear gentle words. Those kind of words his mother had always told him as a child, before he had fallen to war and destruction. Back in those days, people had talked to him like a boy instead of a soldier.

He had missed that feeling.

But he knew that this boy was long gone and with him the gentleness that people had for him.

"Pup.", he reached for the bottle while trying to bend your fingers apart with his other hand. "Let go."

His face was as cold as ice and yet you could see the anger in him. He was boiling.

But he would never have told you that this anger was not meant for you. It was the anger he felt for himself.

You shook your head. Your body was shaking, you were holding the bottle so tightly, and your skin was itching. Not even spit filled your mouth anymore. Your tongue felt like a piece of hard sand.

Jacob came closer. Now his face was so close that the tip of his nose touched your cheek. The warm touch sent a shiver down his spine and for a tiny moment he froze. A long breath left his lips.

He smelled like peppermint.

Strange, you had imagined he would smell like raw meat and blood.

"Pup.", his voice was so icy it hurt your ears. "Let go of that goddamn bottle. Now."

He spoke as if he was whispering, but his teeth were clenched and he had to force himself not to scream in your face.

Trembling, you open one eye. His icy blue locked with your (E/C). You tried to look at him pleadingly, but there was this desperation shimmering in your eyes.

"Please...", you whispered weakly. "I would do anything for this."

His eyebrows rose. For a moment he just stared at you.

Then a broad grin appeared on his face. Laughing softly, he leaned back and dropped to the floor. He covered his eyes with one hand while the other still held the bottle.

You could feel the strength leaving you and your grip loosening.

"Please.", you murmured again, but you knew it was no use.

When Jacob finally finished making fun of you, the grin suddenly disappeared and the stone mask returned.

"Pup.", there it was again, the way he to you when he found something ridiculous. "You should be careful with such offers. You can get into trouble with the wrong people."

He rose from the floor, a deprecating expression on his face. Standing in front of his desk, he reached for something, but hesitated for a moment. For some reason, he felt unsure.

The sound of a music box rang out, its crank being turned.

"Also...", he slowly turned to face you, a small wooden box in his hand. "I want to turn you into a soldier. Not a whore who would offer anything for water. Now open your eyes and look at me."

Slowly, very slowly, you faced him. A song was echoing inside your ears, but the music box was still closed. It seemed like your body knew what was going to happen. But your mind had forgotten.

"Wa-...", you let go of the bottle. "What- what is that?"

With a shattering sound, it fell to the floor. The lid popped open and all the water poured out, forming a small puddle on the floor and seeping under the bed.

Jacob watched the small waves. His fingers rested on the top of the box.

Then, he opened it.

The melody crawled into your ears like a parasite.

Suddenly, the world began to shake. A vail of thin red covered your eyes.

"Listen here.", Jacob held the music box in front of your eyes. "It's only you. Only you are disobedient. And only you will have to be newly shaped. Now remember, pup, to never take from me again. Not unless I allow you to. Not unless I am offering it to you. Sleep now, you must be tired."