daisy

Daisy clutched onto her bloated stomach, pain clawing its way through her insides. It was the time of the month that she especially hated being locked away, yet ironically proceeded to hide away in her cell for as much as she could, which unfortunately wasn't as much as she'd like. The prison schedule wasn't very sympathetic to her situation.

Usually her periods wouldn't be so terrible as they were usually predictable and manageable. But perhaps her recent stress and anxiety had caused a riot in her body because the pain was now excruciating.

"It hurts," she groaned into her pillow, hugging her knees into her chest tighter in an attempt to squeeze away the cramps. It didn't work.

"I know, my love, I know. But, you've had enough paracetamol for now. You have to wait a few hours before I can give you more," Seth said, voice full of pity for his little angel.

She rocked herself for comfort and shook away the hand that was comforting her. "I don't want your pity, I want drugs."

Her boyfriend, while ever attentive and loving, was at a loss on how he could lessen her pain. She was embarrassed, knowing she shouldn't be, yet she was about the circumstances out of her control.

Despite her attitude, he rolled her onto her back and slipped his large hand under her sweatshirt. Her feisty walls melted as he rubbed her stomach in repetitive circular motions. Seth did this for her every time she had a stomach ache, the warmth of his hand being the closest she had to a hot water bottle.

"You're too little for more, silly angel," he cooed into her ear. Daisy squirmed as his breath tickled her and the stubble brushing against her cheek caused a distracting tingle to course her body. Likely sensing her reaction, he began placing slow seductive kisses on the curve of her neck.

"B-but it hurts," she complained, trying to remember her thoughts and what she was asking for in the first place.

"It hurts? Are you sure?" He whispered smoothly against her skin.

Suddenly, she was very aware of his hand on her bare skin, the exploring circles getting larger. Her hands that were originally placed on his chest to stop him from crushing her beneath him, now grew limp, as did her whole body. "Seth," she moaned as her eyes flickered shut, her lips parted and dry.

He bit at her neck softly. "Answer me, kitten. How do you feel?"

"Good?" Daisy answered weakly with uncertainty in her voice. She didn't having much control over what she was saying.

Suddenly, he blew a raspberry in her neck pulling her out of the trance he easily had her in. "Hey!" She giggled in surprise.

While before a wanting for Seth to be closer appeared and the pain dimmed, it all unfortunately came rushing back to her in full force.

Seth's smirk disappeared and was replaced with worried pressed lips. "I hate that you're in pain." He rubbed her frowning forehead with his thumb. "Let's go get you some food. Some warm soup should help, Angel." He suggested.

Reluctantly, she sat up and very hesitantly got out of the bottom bunk, terrified of any accidents occurring. Her gang leader boyfriend could easily get her replacement pants if needed as well but the shame she'd feel asking for them would be too much for her anxiety ridden body to bare.

She was thankful that Marie could provide an abundance of pads and painkillers but nothing could be prescribed for the embarrassment she'd feel every time she had to usher Seth out of the cell to use the toilet privately. Periods in prison were not ideal regardless of how comfortable everyone tried to make her. Post period, the efforts were appreciated nonetheless.

"What soup?" She hugged her stuffed cow aggressively to her stomach and leaned against him for support.

Instantly, his arm wrapped protectively around her waist, slipping under her top so he could provide warmth to her skin. The rubs helped her pain and she hated to admit to such dependence but she couldn't imagine having to deal with another period without him.

"Carrot and potato soup," he said as he guided her through the hallways.

Daisy gasped and looked up at him with excited eyes. "That's my favourite!"

"I know. That's why I told the dinner lady to make it."

She grinned back at him, feeling love gushing out of her. "Aw you're so sweet Seth."

"Better not be telling anyone," he teased, fingers brushing against her side in a playful tickle.

Of course, that made her giggle as usual but as soon as they approached the cafeteria, she grew solemn. Daisy straightened up and moved closer to her protector, trying to hide her face in his arm as much as she could.

While most of the inmates were more than friendly with her, there were a few that were clearly not too fond of her nor Seth. She didn't want to provoke them with public displays of affection with her boyfriend, let alone make accidental eye contact with any of them.

"Want to sit with Nate and Levi while I get your food, Angel?" Seth suggested, probably seeing her wince every time her stomach cramped.

She weakly nodded and with a reassuring pat on the bum from him, she cautiously detached from him to walk to their usual table. Curious eyes burrowed into her as she walked the short distance and it made her self conscious of her childish comfort stuffy, which ironically made her clutch onto it tighter.

People seemed to sense she was more delicate than usual because they moved out of her way without a word. Even the new inmates didn't say any sleazy remarks. Maybe Seth had already warned them or they heard from the rumours that being rude to the petite innocent girl wouldn't earn them any respect from most of the prisoners.

"You alright, sweetheart?" Nate asked, moving on the bench to make more than enough room for her.

Daisy's groan in pain was her response. She sat cross legged and absentmindedly stroked the soft cows back.

"Jeez. Who sh*t in your cereal?" Levi playfully nudged her before pouring her some water.

Despite appreciating his caring action, she still glared at him for his words. "You try leaking your own body weight of blood in lest than a day!"

They and everyone else in earshot cringed. "Ok ok dear Daisy. No need to get aggressive now. You'll scare Nate."

She rolled her eyes and slouched over the table, head resting on her arms and stuffy on her lap. Someone, she guessed Levi, patted her on the head. "Aw, if only we were allowed hot water bottles. But I'm guessing even Seth Knight can't pull the privileges for it."

"The governor said it'd be too dangerous to be carrying around boiling water," she mumbled. It was understandable but it didn't make her any less disappointed when Seth came back with the sad news. Before prison, her hot water bottle and heated blanket were her most prized possessions, purely because she hated being cold and despite being rich, her parents never had the heating on.

Oh how she missed her old things.

Nate shuffled closer and sadly said, "my sister used to have really bad periods. She died."

She gasped, shooting up immediately to stare at him.

"Tessa didn't die from her period. Don't worry, you'll be fine... hopefully," he reassured her lightly.

"W-what? No! You had a sister?" Nate didn't talk much about himself and in prison, it was a sore subject to ask about life before incarceration for most prisoners so she had never approached the topic eagerly. "How did she die?" She asked tentatively.

He shrugged casually but pain was very evident in his eyes. "She was shot. Shot with Levi's girlfriend actually."

"I didn't know," she mumbled, feeling guilty and self-absorbed. No matter how big her own issues were, Daisy would always feel like other peoples problems were more important - a self-destructing flaw she recognised but couldn't change no matter how many words of affirmation were given to her. "What were they like?"

"Tessa was quiet and kept to herself. Typical moody thirteen year old to be honest but I loved her to bits. Our mum was a druggie; sold them, took them. Some low life zombie tired to shoot my mum but ended up spraying the room next door where Nicole was hanging out with Tessa," he finished with a sad laugh.

"Sad story isn't it?" Levi's depressed eyes held onto his tears desperately as he looked at her. He patted her head again as Daisy leaked her tears silently, cursing her overactive hormones. She didn't want to set the guys off too.

She didn't need to respond because it really was a sad story. She imagined that was only one of the sad stories they had. Seth said he met both of them in bad situations and practically saved their lives when he asked them to join him.

"You would've liked Nicole though because practically everyone liked her. She ran into Tessa one day and helped her do what their mum should've done."

"Yeah, I don't know how I would've had the period conversation with her. Thank goodness for friendly public bathroom strangers." Nate laughed.

Daisy remembered how traumatising her first period was, also having a mother that didn't care. After being brave enough to ask her mum to take her to the hospital, she was just tossed a single pad and had to resort to googling what to do with it.

"They sound lovely," she said sadly.

"It's alright though, cutie. Seth helped us get our revenge. Didn't you mate," he laughed, reaching past her to fist bump Seth who had quietly snuck up behind her with a bowl of the promised soup. "Brought us together too and I'll never forget it!"

He crouched to meet her teary eyes and rubbed the pad of thumb under each one. "Don't cry. If you cried for every sad story in here you'd run out of water and have me panicking." Daisy sniffled and nodded sadly, still upset for everyone. Seeing this, he tapped her chin and added, "you'd turn into a little raisin." This made her giggle.

"Mrs Patel says hi. She wants to run a new menu idea by you next shift, she said." Seth easily scooped her onto his lap as he spoke, providing a soft muscled cushion instead of the cold bench she hated.

"Ok Seth," she said and thanked him sweetly for the soup with a kiss on his cheek. "That was quick." The queue was extremely long when they arrived and now looked like it barely moved.

He cleaned the metal spoon on his sweatshirt quickly and took a sip of the soup first, as he always did. He just replied, "I skipped it, love. Now drink up."

Daisy happily sat on her throne being doted on by the king of the prison, said to be the devil himself yet there he was feeding her spoonfuls of her favourite soup, blowing it softly before each one so she wouldn't burn her mouth.

Of course she could feed herself, she wasn't an invalid. But with the almost paralysing pain in her abdomen, she felt it was ok to be spoiled for the time being.

They stayed and spoke for a while after they ate. Seth managed to get her some chocolate which she snacked on slowly, savouring every small piece. She did offer some to everyone else but her boyfriend's eyes told them not to accept.

However, after so much social interaction, all Daisy wanted to do was recoup in her own space and go back to her familiar foetal position of pain.

Sighing, she flopped back into their bunk amidst the thick-ish blankets and Seth-smelling clothes. "Being a woman is so exhausting."

"I know, angel. I know," he replied with sympathy. She felt him gently take off her not-so-white trainers, followed by her socks. Her feet rested on his lap while he caringly massaged them in his rough calloused hands, cause her to release little moans of relaxation.

"You're the best," Daisy declared automatically.

Seth laughed, hands not faltering from their rhythmic patterns and the pressure his thumbs had on the soles of her feet. "I think Dave has left you another present." He gestured to the book on their small table.

Since her arrival, they delivered new books more frequently and even were considerate to her preferences. The second common room had almost turned into a library of consisting mostly romance and fantasy novels. However, despite the bi-weekly deliveries, there was nothing to do in prison besides read, finding Daisy finishing books extremely quickly.

Dave would often surprise her with new trending books or second hand ones that his youngest daughter had already read and grown bored of. She was an avid reader as well apparently.

Wasting no time, she stretched her arm to reach the book, having no desire to leave her comfortable position. "It's a Gordon Ramsey cooking book! He's my favourite." The shiny clean pages were exciting to touch and along with her massage, her day was getting better and better.

That was until she felt a small folded piece of paper slotted in the book. Upon reading it, all the relaxation, all feeling, left her body immediately.

"Break Seth Knight's heart. Hurt him. Or I start hurting the other people you love. Tell no one."

"Seth, look." Without hesitation, Daisy sat up and waved the note in his face. "It- it said don't tell but I don't know. I had to. May- maybe they won't mind," she stuttered, now wondering if she may have just killed someone.

"What's wrong? What is it?" Seth asked, already concerned.

She wasn't any more reassured from the ever growing anger forming in his face. "Maybe Dave is just telling a joke." Her forced giggle didn't convince anyone.

His eyebrows were furrowed in thought. "Anyone could've left this. The cell doors have been open since we left," he reasoned. "Daisy, I have to tell you something."

"Hey! Why did you full name me," she pouted but he responded by cupping her cheeks in both hands.

His voice deepened in sincerity and said, "I'm not joking around here, kitten. You know what I do is dangerous and people are always after me. Well it's gotten a little more dangerous recently. I'm worried they're going to come after you."

Happily with a bounce in her words, she stated, "but you'll protect me," before adding, "and no offence Seth, it sounds like they want to hurt you."

"And they know that the only way to hurt me, they will have to get to you. Just trust me Daisy. Nothing will hurt me more than seeing you hurt. They could put a bullet in me and I wouldn't break but I see your beautiful big eyes tear up over a silly book? I'm broken. I see those lovely pink lips pout because your flowers die, I'm on my knees."

She pondered. "I guess I see your point."

"I'm getting you somewhere safe. You can't stay here with me anymore." His forehead rested on hers as he spoke, eyes staring deep into hers.

Now she was scared. The feeling of eerie apprehension overwhelmed her with anxiety. Thoughts of her being alone all over again flashed through her head. She didn't want to imagine a world without her Seth.

"But where will I go? What about you?" Daisy whispered.

"I'm going to sort everything. Don't worry about me. What you have to do is promise me you'll do everything you can to stay safe. Don't be reckless. Don't be nice to strangers or put yourself in danger. I won't always be there, love. You remember all the self defence tactics I taught you?"

She nodded quickly after hearing how desperate he sounded.

"Ok good girl. Promise me you'll fight no matter what. No matter how scared you are, you have to keep fighting to stay safe for me. Promise," he demanded.

"I promise, Seth." She hugged him tightly, nuzzling her face into his tattooed neck. "Please don't leave me," she begged quietly only to be met with a silence.

~~~

Thank you for reading!

I wrote this chapter while on my period. Talk about getting in the zone..

What would you do if you received a scary note? Would you do what it says?

WORD COUNT: 2779

Much love <3

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