Kiss From a Rose

"Really, I can walk now, I'm okay." Sooyoung insisted as they trudged through the front door.

"If you say so..." Jessica responded hesitantly.

She moved aside so that the other girl could take a step on her own, although the second she did her knee gave out and she tumbled over. Luckily, Sooyoung was caught before she fell but groaned at having to be carried; something that made Jessica chuckle as they made their way upstairs.

"What?"

"You really don't like being served do you?"

"Not really..." the tall girl sighed, but caught her words, "But not because of you! I don't like it when anyone helps me... I'm really bad at accepting kindness, so sorry if it seems like I'm ungrateful. I'm not though."

"I didn't think that." Jessica replied with a smile, "Just that it was another one of your cute mannerisms. Whether you like it or not I'm going to take care of your wounds tonight."

She spoke in a joking tone to imply that she wasn't threatening, but a second later her expression fell somber.

"... After all, it was one of my students who inflicted them on you."

Sooyoung frowned; she couldn't shake the feeling of failure. She wanted to beat Taecyeon fairly, but she couldn't. Even though he was the one to stop using proper technique first, the girl knew that she too had fallen to an emotional level that left her open for what would have been painful if Jessica hadn't stepped in. Suddenly a smile crossed her lips.

"At least I got to see you kick his ." she grinned brightly, "I mean, I really wanted to, but you have more of a right to. I had no idea you could be so dangerous."

"Ah... well, just like anyone I have limits, and he broke them when he did such a thing to you... That's all."

"But you were cool!" Sooyoung exclaimed, treating Jessica with a sort of idolatry which confused her.

"Even if we got disqualified, it was worth it to see you in a different light."

"Hm?" she wanted to find out what the girl was hiding behind those words.

"... I feel like I got a step closer to you... and it feels really nice..."

Jessica just about dropped Sooyoung by accident when she heard that; not having enough control over her muscles yet to keep them working when the girl was being kind to her. She tried her best not to let all of her happiness show, but still, she smiled. It was only a few more steps until they reached the top.

With a gentle push, Jessica opened the guest bedroom door and sat Sooyoung down on the mess of sheets.

"You need to clean up in here." she chuckled.

"HaHa." the girl replied sarcastically, "I've been distracted with training. Now that the tournament is over I'll keep things a lot neater."

Jessica just smiled, kneeling beside Sooyoung's bed so that she was level with her before standing quickly to get the first aid kit. Again, the tall girl followed her with her eyes, focused on her neck and shoulders, not overlooking her hair either. However, she wasn't as unaware of her lingering eyes like she was before Hyoyeon threw that wrench into her thoughts. Frowning, Sooyoung pounded her head back into the pillow and stared at the ceiling until she heard the other girl come back.

"Okay, there should be enough to take care of your wounds in here." Jessica said as she calmly took the closest of injured hands into her own. Once more, Sooyoung's facial temperature rose but she continued to pass it off as stress related to the fights.

Using a cloth dampened with warm water, Jessica began to wipe away to excess dried blood from the lesions. In fact, she was completely focused on this work for the moment; having no other thoughts than to make sure Sooyoung was okay. Meanwhile the latter was allowing her exhaustion to take over, if only just to keep her chest from the awkward rumbling it was doing. She sighed.

It feels like my when I'm hungry and my stomach growls...

Soon enough, that first hand was done and it was on to the second. Like before, Jessica cleaned the cuts and then proceeded to bandage them accordingly, leaving the last remaining wounds on her face and inside.

"Would you mind if I check to see the muscle damage?" the older girl asked.

"So that tomorrow I can get more appropriate medicine from the doctor."

Sooyoung raised an eyebrow.

"You can do that?"

"Yes." she glowed with a little pride, "While I'm not a doctor myself, whenever I'm not training I enjoy studying to be a physiotherapist. It's what I'm going to university for. It helps in our line of work. And the doctor at my dojo is very good, although if you prefer I'll see the one at yours."

"Oh, no it's fine, you can see whoever. I was just curious." Sooyoung said, "I didn't know I was hurt that bad. I didn't think I'd need a doctor."

"Well I'm not certain, but seeing what you went through its safe to assume that there's at least some damage." she started with the girl's shoulder, but stopped the second Sooyoung winced.

"Sorry, did that hurt?"

"Ah, no, your hands just surprised me." the tall girl laughed, embarrassed, "Go on though, I'm fine."

Jessica nodded and continued to feel over Sooyoung's skin, looking down every so often to look at the bruising. It seemed to be a thing that looked worse than it was, but like she said, she didn't want to risk anything. Brown eyes shut momentarily to ease her concentration on the muscle pattern. She could still feel Sooyoung clench every so often, but presumed it was merely because of the injury.

"Mm…" she hummed, "It isn't dislocated but the muscles around it are pulled and a little torn, you'll have to wear a sling."

"Got it." Sooyoung replied, though somewhat annoyed with the fact that she wouldn't be able to move her arm for a while.

She then felt the soft hands trace their way down her back, but sensed difficulty.

"Now for your back, what Taecyeon did was—"

"You don't have to do this." Sooyoung interrupted.

"Ah? But Sooyoung if you don't massage them now the swelling later on will be painful."

"I know... But…" she sighed, "You know why..."

Jessica was taken aback, only a little, but still felt a pang of cold emanate from her core. Pulling her hands away from the girl, she sat back on her knees.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have... I just thought that's what a friend would do..." her voice was strained, and she suddenly couldn't meet the soft eyes… 

"I'll go now."

Sooyoung's eyes fluttered in the second Jessica stood up to leave, and instinctively she reached up to grab the older girl's sleeve.

"No, you're right." she kept holding on, "It is what a friend would do. I— Actually I was worried about you... I didn't want you to feel obligated to put yourself in a difficult position just for my sake."

"Difficult position?" she raised an eyebrow, but by the time Sooyoung started to blush she got the full idea of what she meant.

Pushing her other feelings aside with a smug facade, she sat back down ready to ease the moment with some humor.

"Mou Sooyoung, you think I would take advantage of you while you're all beat up like that?"

The tall girl frowned, but slowly began to laugh a little.

"Just help me." she grunted, using her good arm to pull off as much of her uniform as she could.

To Jessica’s own surprise, she wasn't feeling as anxious as she expected. She told Sooyoung that it would not be a problem for her to control herself, but even when she spoke the words she doubted them inside. Yet now, when she was slowly, carefully, removing the clothing around the girl she actually didn't take it as anything more than helping her. It seemed as though her love had matured. She still loved Sooyoung just as much, but now Jessica was able to go one step further. This was still another way to express how much love she had for the girl, but not in a brazen way that would frighten her.

"There, this is much easier." Jessica said now that she returned to Sooyoung's back which was much easier to feel out now that the thick material was out of the way. Like her shoulder, nothing too serious had happened. It was mostly just pulls and minor tears that would heal over time. Nevertheless, she took some time to warm the region with her hands to ease the pain before gliding her hands further down, now sliding over Sooyoung's strong, sinewy thighs. She doubted herself for a second again, but pushed her way down to the girl's knee where she was supposed to pay attention.

The tall girl inhaled sharply when she felt the hands on her joint. A shudder ran through her that, despite it being painful, hit her chest. Sooyoung closed her eyes tightly and took deep breaths as quietly as she could in an attempt to go under Jessica’s radar. Suddenly a tear slid down her cheek.

What the hell is happening to me?!

Upon hearing the arduous cough, Jessica stopped her work to check if Sooyoung was still okay; and since the latter's expression relaxed when she removed her hands she came to the logical conclusion that it was just because of the pain.

"Can you sit up for a minute?" she instructed, while getting the damp cloth again and this time positioning herself right in front of Sooyoung's face, "This is the last of it."

Silence covered them for the time being, save for the heavy breaths of the younger girl that she still could not comprehend. She was trying to conceal it as much as possible, but in the end part of her was dying to throw itself into a confused rage. Inside herself, Sooyoung was thrashing about and the only thing that stopped her physically was her extenuating injuries. When the cloth touched her cut lip tenderly, she first bit down on her teeth, feigning pain when really she was being consumed with fear.

At the same time, Jessica was becoming more and more confused as well. Sooyoung was doing her best to hide something, but the girl was intuitive. She wasn't sure what her intuition was telling her, but there was definitely something unusual happening inside the other girl's head. In order to tend to cuts better, Jessica slid closer, now with her torso between Sooyoung's bent knees that hung over the edge of the bed. Both of their movements were beginning to slow, but when the elder of the two continued to gently pat the scrapes something caught her by surprise. Her eyes caught sight of Sooyoung's lips, unconsciously moving against her fingertips... as if to kiss them.

Her heart skipped a beat, suddenly feeling the intensity of Sooyoung's breath on her skin and instantly looked up into the brown irises. They were locked then. No matter promises or implications either of them made earlier, they were caught, trapped in this moment; unable to escape no matter how hard they both tried. Dropping the cloth on the floor, Jessica hesitantly arched herself upward. She didn't want to initiate anything, but at the same time she couldn't help it. In a few seconds they could taste each other's breath.

Sooyoung's hands gripped the sheets when her tongue unconsciously ran over her lips. She was stunned with fright, but when she felt a warm hand slide its way up her back to rest at the base of her neck it vanished immediately; allowing her to close her eyes.

I don't understand...

And before she knew it, Sooyoung moved forward ever so slightly, pressing their lips together in their first kiss.

Jessica was just as surprised, no matter how well she was handling it, but she had dreamed about this for so long and now it was finally happening. She could feel Sooyoung's heart beat faster when she moved her lips, never breaking away; and when she breathed in she could smell her scent better than ever. In a few seconds she felt a hand move its way behind her head, combing through her brown