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“Phi?”
“Nong?” She stops chewing. Her sister looks at her quizzically as her hand stops mid-air with the chopsticks. “What’s up? Have you had dinner? I can bring-”
“Phi, can you come see me?”
As soon as she hears that broken sound, Faye immediately abandons the table and puts on her shoes. She’s already grabbing her keys and purse when she notices. “Why are you whispering? Where are you?”
The other line goes silent for a minute, and that makes her panic, but she races to connect her phone to the speakers of her car. The BMW roars to life, and she immediately backs out of the driveway and goes to the road.
“Where are you?” she presses on. “I’m on my way. You just need to let me know where.”
“I’m at my apartment.”
Faye sighs audibly. “Ok, ka. 10 minutes. Can you wait for me?”
The small reply makes her heart ache. “Can you do 5? Please?”
“I can do five,” Faye replies, determination in her voice. “Can you wait for me, then?”
“Yes.”
“Good girl. Stay where you are.”
She gets there in precisely seven minutes; traffic in Thailand has always been a problem, even at night. Faye exits the elevator onto Yoko’s floor, sprinting practically to her door. She raises her hand to knock, but before her fist makes contact with the wood, Yoko opens the door.
The first thing she notices is tears.
Faye steps forward for a hug, and that’s when she notices the second thing.
Bruises. Her stomach drops to the pits, and she feels ice-cold chills run down her spine.
“Yo,” the younger woman only softly cries on her shoulder. Faye pushes them both into the room and uses her foot to close the door behind them. “Yoko,” she calls out more sternly. “Who did this?”
“We’ve broken up,” Yoko mumbles against her shirt.
“ He did this? Has he been doing this to you?!” She seethes. Faye pulls back somewhat reluctantly as the younger woman still can’t seem to let go of their embrace. “Where is he?”
Yoko shrugs. “Gone.”
That sick, sick fuck. Faye decides she’s going to break all of his bones. The consequences don’t matter. She’s going to burn him alive.
She grabs Yoko on the shoulder and scans her from top to bottom. Faye sees fresh bruises on her arms and a couple more on her neck. She bites her lip to prevent a nasty comment because, right now, what Yoko needs is an older sister who will take care of her.
Faye looks around, her arms still not leaving a weeping Yoko. The place is a mess. Clothes are everywhere, and the TV looks like it got hit by something. The only place that isn’t filled with litter is probably the bathroom.
She thinks for a moment and decides.
“Come on. Pack up,” she softly says in Yoko’s ear.
The woman looks up at her in question. “What do you mean?”
God, she sounds so fragile that Faye wants to shield her from the rest of the world from this point forward.
“Pack up. Grab the important things, and let’s go,” she nods to the room. “You’re coming with me.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know,” Faye grabs the nearest suitcase, which is by the door, and starts tossing clothes in it. She looks up at a confused Yoko and sighs. “Anywhere but here Yo, probably in my condo. I don’t use it at the moment. It’s a two-bedroom and really spacious. You’ll stay there in the meantime. Okay?”
The woman fidgets with her fingers before meeting her eyes. “What if he comes back?”
“Then he won’t find you here. He will find a restraining order waiting for him, though,” Faye huffs angrily. “Come on. Just bring the essentials, and we’ll go. I won’t allow him to hurt you anymore.”
“But Phi-”
“I said I won’t!” Faye raises her voice as she stands up in front of Yoko. Her back straightens, and her voice steadies. “I won’t tolerate it. He’s hurting you, and I will not just stand here and watch. Can’t you see that? So just pack up and listen to me, or else I’ll piggyback you back to the car.”
They get into a staring battle, and Faye feels her resolve crumbling against those eyes but holds it. Yoko needs to get away from here and all the trauma it brings as soon as possible.
Yoko’s lips eventually turn into a small, hesitant smile, and she nods. “Okay.”
They make quick work of the room. Yoko grabs all her electronics, including her laptop, tablet, and extra phone, while Faye goes into the study to file all her important documents. She opens Yoko’s vault, grabs the money in there, and shoves it into one of the envelopes she’s holding. While she’s at it, Faye also sends one of her lawyer friends a message to meet up the next morning and puts in a favor to get the police chief’s number. She also makes sure to schedule a private check-up for the younger woman tomorrow.
Once they finished, they left everything as it was and left together.
The drive to Faye’s condo is enveloped in comforting silence. They unpacked there as quickly as they packed since Faye noticed signs of exhaustion in Yoko’s eyes. Once done, Faye pushes the young woman to the bathroom while she talks to her family about how she won’t be coming home for the next few days because she needs to accompany Yoko. She left the details out, as she didn’t want to stress out anyone tonight.
Opening the fridge, she is relieved to see the ice box full and drops some cubes into the compression bag. She does need to go out for a grocery run in the morning, though. Yoko steps into the kitchen, wearing the hoodie that Faye initially owned but had kept for herself. Faye motions for her to sit on the kitchen stools and pulls her sleeves up.
“You need to tell me where the other bruises are. Alright? We need to ice them,” Faye says gently, holding her hand and pressing the bag on her arms first. Yoko nods, tears brimming in her eyes.
“Don’t cry,” Faye cooes. “Phi is here.”
Like a dam, her tears flow freely, and Faye mentally curses herself for saying those magic words. Those were the exact words she told the younger woman that made her cry so much she had to console her for hours.
“Phi is sorry. I’m sorry,” She wipes the continuous tears on her face. “I love you. I’m sorry. Please don’t cry anymore. You know I don’t like seeing you cry.”
Yoko nods but makes no effort to stop her cries. Faye could only wipe her face now and then, all the while holding the bag securely to her bruised arms. She moves the bag to her neck, and Yoko flinches because of the sudden cold.
“I’m sorry. I’ll warn you next time,” Faye smiles. “Don’t worry anymore, okay? Just stay here, and Phi will deal with things.”
“Okay.”
When the ice finally turns into water, Faye signals the younger girl to go to the first bedroom to sleep. She turns towards the sink to discard the bag, but when she looks back, Yoko pouts at her and raises her hands. “I’m too tired to move, Phi Faye.”
“And? Are you saying I’m supposed to carry you there?” Faye shoots an eyebrow up in question. The younger girl only gives her a mischievous smile.
At least she’s not crying anymore.
She squints at her playfully before grabbing her thighs and hoisting her up, careful not to hit any of her injuries. “You’re heavy. What did you eat?”
“Sushi,” Yoko’s melodic laughter rings across the expanse of her condo. Her hands are tight against Faye’s neck, and her legs are wrapped carefully around her waist. “Be grateful it’s not chicken,” she whispers dangerously close to her lips.
Faye doesn’t read signs with Yoko anymore. Since working together, they have always experienced professional comfortability, and she’s got nothing on that. At least, that’s what she convinces herself every night before going to bed. There’s nothing there except love for a sister and a trusted confidant.
“At least grab the handle, Your Highness,” Faye mock glares at her when they reach the first bedroom’s door. Yoko complies, and within seconds, she drops the still-giggling girl on the master bed.
“Sleep well, baby Yo,” she chuckles. “I’ll be in the next room if you need me, okay?”
Faye is about to drop a forehead kiss on Yoko when the girl tilts her head up further. Her mouth makes contact with another pair of lips, and it feels like the first time they’ve done this. Her stomach gets riddled with butterflies, and her face begins to feel hot, yet she makes no effort to pull away. Yoko skillfully pins her in place using her hand on her neck. Faye’s brain short circuits as Yoko adjusts their position to angle the kiss better. If it goes on into hours, days, or years, Faye can’t seem to find it in herself to care. The only thing on her mind right now is how warm and wet Yoko’s lips are against hers.
But when she feels her tongue poking her bottom lip, Faye jumps up in surprise and worry.
“What’s wrong?” The insecurity in Yoko’s voice breaks her heart.
Faye sits down on the edge of the bed, careful not to touch her. She collects herself momentarily before speaking up. “It’s not the right time.”
Yoko’s gaze hardens. “Just say you don’t want me and leave. You don’t have to pretend with me or feel like you will break me. I get it.”
“It’s not that,” Faye argues. “You’re still hurting, and this is really not the right time, Yo.”
“Just go,” Yoko pulls the cover over her shoulder and looks away. “I know you don’t want me, but you could’ve pulled away faster instead of staying and kissing me back and making me feel hopeful. You’re impossible.”
“You don’t get it,” Faye scoffs.
“Then tell me,” she challenges. “Try me, Phi Faye. I’m sure I can handle two different rejections in one night.”
“I love you!” she exclaims. Yoko freezes on the spot, eyes blinking at the sudden outburst. Faye stands up and paces the room.
“What do you-”
She stops and turns to Yoko. “I love you. That’s it. It’s simple. I love you. I care for you. I want you. I miss you when you’re gone, and I die a little more inside whenever you mention him to me. You don’t know the severity and the complexity of my feelings for you, Yoko. You don’t get to tell me about these things because you’re the impossible one.”
The other woman still doesn’t move, so Faye continues. “I’ve loved you ever since, and I don’t know when that exactly happened, but I do. Did I try to stop what I feel for you? Yes. Was I successful in doing so? No. But I distanced and controlled myself because I knew you had him. You don’t understand the pain I feel for not being there to defend you from him just because you keep insisting that you love him.
“For so long, I’ve always wondered what you saw in that bastard when you already have me,” she mock- laughs, tears threatening to fall from her eyes, but Faye quickly darts her hand up to wipe it away. She sighs exasperatedly and tries to get the words out. “But I didn’t mind because I trusted you when you told me you’re safe with him, and now this happened. It breaks my heart, and the first thing I want to do is gather you in my arms and replace him in your heart, but it’s just not the right time.”
Slowly, she moves back to the bed and reaches out to hold one of Yoko’s hands. “I’m sorry. As I’ve said, it’s not the right time yet. You’re hurting and in pain. I have much to do, and you, my darling, even more. So,” Faye reaches up to rub her thumb over Yoko’s cheeks. “Let’s just pace ourselves. Alright? One thing at a time?”
She feels her nod.
“I told you,” Faye continues. “I’m not going anywhere. You can decide what you want to do with me later, either as just your Phi or something more, I don’t care. Right now, All I want is for you to be safe and out of danger,” she whispers softly against her temple. “You don’t know how terrified I was tonight when I first saw you.”
“I’m sorry,” Yoko mumbles, grasping her forearms desperately to get close. “You’re right, and I’m sorry for how I acted. I’m sorry for everything.”
“Don’t be,” Faye immediately moves to hold her in the bed. “It’s alright. You’re tired and hurting, but I just want you to be safe. Okay?”
“Okay,” the younger woman nods in agreement. “Can you stay with me tonight? I don’t want to be alone.”
Faye smiles warmly at her. “Always.”
Faye doesn’t really know what will happen next. All she wants for now is for Yoko to be safe. When the bastard gets locked up in the future, and Yoko confesses that she wants Faye as much as Faye wants her, maybe they’ll get there.
When the time comes that they revisit this conversation again, and Yoko reveals she never really had him in her heart and that Faye’s the only resident ever allowed in there, maybe she’ll laugh and cry for all the time they wasted not being with each other from the start.
Eventually, when all the dust settles, and they’re not worried and overtly looking over their shoulders for danger from time to time, maybe Yoko and Faye will move in together.
When it’s finally time, maybe Yoko will ask to be Faye’s official girlfriend in their bed, despite the other one planning the whole proposal at dinner the next day.
When everything’s okay, and they’re both finally happy, maybe they’ll take a trip and spend time together without worrying about being too far apart.
When they’re both ready and comfortable, maybe Faye will allow more kisses, touches, closeness, and intimacy from Yoko because that’s honestly what she’s been patiently waiting for all this time.
“You’re a sap,” Yoko will say after getting a fifth I love you from Faye one particular morning. “I can’t believe you used to be so cool.”
“I’m still cool,” Faye will defend herself, but her shit-eating grin will betray her. “I just love you very much. And I want to let you know all the time. You secretly like it, don’t deny it.”
“Yeah yeah,” the younger woman will reply knowingly, despite rolling her eyes. “Thank you for loving me like this.”
“I’m here. I’m not going anywhere, and I’ll continue to love you as long as you’ll have me,” Faye will whisper sweetly against her lips.
Both will smile into the kiss, teeth clashing but unable to stop smiling because they’re that happy. Soon, one leg will be tangled with another, kisses will get more fervent with hunger, and clothes will scatter everywhere. Bodies will collide as one, and hearts will continue loving each other until the end.