Unloved: A Sims Story by orenjiAi

Unloved 7

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Robert had drawn a bath for Elia in the private spa. It was a room she had not been in before as she, up until then, only ever had to use her en-suite bathroom and the powder room by the dining room. Robert kept most of the chateau’s chambers unused and locked; opening them only for an occasional light housekeeping. But he insisted to use the spa as he said the bath soaks he had prepared would clog up the drains of all the other tubs in the house.

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Elia stood beside Robert, clutching her change of clothes, as he unlocked the doors of the northwesternmost room of the first floor. It opened to reveal a spacious chamber with periwinkle paneling. Sheer white curtains framed the large casement windows that overlooked the formal gardens. A dainty crystal chandelier hung in the middle of the room above a clawed porcelain bathtub. A bottle of juice is submerged in an ice bucket on a chair beside it. The toilet and showers were screened off by antique wooden dividers. And on the mantle, an array of expensive looking perfumes and bath essences lined up.

A sweet smell wafted through the air as he prepared her bath of milk, honey, and oatmeal. She found it extremely wasteful to soak in what she thought was food. But he had told her it also contained soap, oils, and baking soda—not edible at all. He said the bath would calm her senses, relax her muscles, and clean the paint off her all at once. Elia was convinced she would never understand the rich and their ways but she would not turn down an offer to relax.

With a flourish of a blazing pinecone, Robert lit a fire. He turned to her and said, "The bath is prepared.

"My lady, it is very important to remember that you do not soak for more than half an hour. You might find the bath comfortable—and I'm sure you will! But you must resist staying in too long or it will make you feel lightheaded.

"I will be waiting outside. Should you need my assistance please ring the butler bell," he pointed at her smartphone, "Now, please excuse me."

Robert closed the door. And Elia was alone.

Taking a bath in the spa was—Elia could think no other word for it—humbling. Although she was certain that nobody else would be around in the next one-third mile, although she was on a room that was 20 feet off the ground, and although she knew the house overlooked a jagged rock cliff, she felt vulnerable undressing in such a large open space. So she tried to cover herself with her arms, crouched low, and got in the bath as quickly as she could.

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Robert was right, the bath was comfortable. She had expected it to be sticky, but instead it felt silken against her skin. It was perfectly warm.
And it smelled really tasty, like a nougat bar. Robert said it wasn’t edible but could something so sweet-smelling really be inedible? She cupped a handful and brought it up to her face. She took a sip.

Elia bolted out of the bath and spit into the sink. It tasted just exactly like what it was—soap. She rinsed her mouth of the liquid and caught sight of her naked reflection in the mirror. She instinctively cowered but laughed at herself immediately after. Hasn’t she thought of this before? It was impossible for anyone else to see her. And yet she couldn’t help protecting herself. Really, feeling uncomfortable over literally nothing was a stupid thing to do. As Elia climbed back into the bath, she wondered. Could that be the same discomfort everyone else felt when she was around?

She had been told that her purple eyes were unnatural, piercing, humbling. It made people uncomfortable even when all she did was just lay her eyes on them. They avoided her gaze. And then avoided her entirely. And when they did have to talk to her, they did not even so much look at her. They always assumed the worst of her over a simple eye discoloration.

And speaking of color, could Adriel be actually visually challenged? If he did not see his paint was pink instead of grey, then surely he could not have seen the purple in her eyes, too? He had always been telling her she could do better in art class back at the orphanage, too. That she could use a little more color in her work. But she had always been using lots of colors. She thought he was just being childish, wanting to paint everything in rainbows. But now it all made perfect sense. Adriel was color blind.

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Could it be that the only reason he could could look her in the eye and not flinch, is because he didn't see well? Would he have treated her differently if he could? And what if he suddenly saw? Elia knew about glasses that made colorblind people see color from the internet. What if he suddenly had those? Would things still be the same between them? Would he still want to be around her?

Elia looked at the door. There was one other person that wasn't bothered by her eyes. And he was right behind it. Robert. Elia found herself growing more and more fond of him. She was grateful for him and everything he had provided. She really lucked out on that adoption. But if she hadn't been a Thebe, would he be caring for her this way too?
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She submerged herself shoulder-deep in the milky waters. She closed her eyes and rested her head by the bathtub’s edge. She didn’t want to think anymore. She came here for relaxation but here she was hung up in her thoughts. She let herself slide beneath the water. Maybe if she stayed that way, her troubles too would dissolve in the fragrant warm water.

"ELIA!"

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He heard Robert calling for her. She opened her eyes and saw his face. He was on the verge of tears. For some reason, she was lying on the floor with her head in his arms.

"Thank Watcher! I told you not to stay in there for too long!"

"Oh yeah," she thought. She was taking a bath. She must have dozed off while deep in thought. "Thanks for waking me."

Elia sat up. She heard Robert stutter. She suddenly felt the heat rise to her head. She screeched at her realization.

Oh yeah...she was taking a bath.