Hi, very slight trigger warning, maybe. Just a heads up. 

Chapter Seventeen

The front door unlocked and swung open with a dull click. A single table lamp glowed a soft orange. Light from the TV bounced off the walls and danced on Jessica’s sleeping form, illuminating her against the dark of the room.

Closing the door softly, Yoona padded over to Jessica’s side. Stress and exhaustion were simmering underneath the light make up and Yoona couldn’t find it in her to rouse Jessica.

Yoona breathed a sigh. She had been terribly annoyed by the inevitable. Her last year in high school coincided with Jessica’s third year in college and also the beginning of rotation at the hospital. Jessica held odd hours, working on weekends and getting called to the hospital in the middle of the night had happened quite a few times. At some point, Yoona thought it was a grand joke the universe conjured against them.

Just weeks into Jessica’s rotation, Yoona already missed the older girl.

Tiny movements from Jessica’s slumped form prompted Yoona to sit down beside her. Her sleeping posture was weirdly tilted to one side, neck strained by the uncomfortable position. Carefully, Yoona held Jessica’s body, hoping to lay her down in a more comfortable position. But for the few seconds that Jessica leaned against her, overwhelming emotions stirred. She craved to have Jessica in her arms for a long time, to hug her and escape from all those feelings of yearning and longing. It felt like Jessica was slowly slipping out of her hands and she didn't know why. Abandonment nudged her.

Needless worrying, surely. But separation and distance inched her towards irrationality. She discovered her own reliance on Jessica when the older girl was no longer a call or a spin of the heel away. Growing up, being independent, shedding that cast of a young Yoona was what she thought she wanted.

Now, loneliness mocked her.

“Yoong…”

The moment was real. A single mumble of her name and she felt more settled.

Jessica’s side profile— eyes closed, deep in sleep and a barely noticeable smile on her lips. There was a certain fragility about the moment. Jessica, no longer the doting unnie shielding her and instead, was this delicate and vulnerable girl, cut off from her worries and harsh workload in Yoona's arms.

Retracting the idea of lying Jessica on the couch, Yoona laid Jessica down on her lap with great care. As if pre-planned, Jessica snuggled into Yoona the moment she was comfortable.

Smiling, Yoona slowly drifted off to sleep.

***

A familiar scent seized Jessica as sleep gradually wore off.

Her eyes peeled open slowly and when she rolled her head to look up, a familiar silhouette greeted her. The girl whom she had missed greatly and didn’t expect to see the moment she woke up. Too wonderful a surprise and her lips tugged up at the sight.

Jessica sat up carefully, Yoona was sleeping soundly, head fallen back and mouth slightly opened. For a good while, Jessica couldn’t tear her eyes away.

But it was almost two-thirty in the dead of the night.

“Yoongie,” Jessica shook Yoona gently, and after a few times, the younger girl finally stirred.

“Unnie?”

“Go sleep on the bed, c’mon.”

Reaching over to pull her up, Yoona suddenly flung herself onto Jessica. The welcomed burst of affection took her by surprise, and it was long seconds later before Jessica returned the hug with Yoona’s mumbles of ‘unnie’ against her ear, cheek pressed on her cheek.

“I missed you, unnie. I missed you so so much.”

Emotions raged as the confession swept into Jessica, striking the tender cords of her heart. Relieved and ecstatic, Yoona had missed her. She hadn’t moved on without her despite being all grown up, and this thought almost brought tears to Jessica’s eyes.

“I missed you too,” Jessica grabbed Yoona’s waist tight and sighed before hugging her close.

“Our schedules are totally screwed up. It’s been almost three weeks since I’ve spent more than an hour with you. With both of us awake.”

Jessica could hear the pout in Yoona’s tone, a distinct whine framing her words. It was most adorable and Jessica unconsciously started running her hand down from Yoona’s head and to the small of her back.

“We’ve been really busy, haven’t we?”

“Mmhmm,” Yoona hummed, nuzzling into Jessica’s neck.

“But I’ll never forget about you, no matter how busy,” Jessica cooed, affection overflowing, “You’ll always be in my heart, Yoongie.”

“That’s a promise?”

“Yes, a promise.”

“I’m sleepy, unnie,” Yoona nuzzled deeper into Jessica’s neck, breath tickling her and she let out an involuntary giggle.

“Let’s get to bed then!”

Jessica slipped her palm into Yoona’s and, with a huff, pulled the younger girl up from the sofa. Puppy eyes gazed at her.

“What is it now?” Jessica laughed, warmth filling her heart.

“Can we sleep together tonight?”

“Yes, come on. You’re gonna be my human bolster tonight!”

***

"Do you think Yuri still likes Jessi?"

Sunny looked up from her criminal law textbook, and turned to Tiffany who was almost dozing off with her phone in hand, surfing YouTube mindlessly.

Tiffany rolled her eyes.

"It's kinda annoying that you always choose post to do all the serious stuff," Tiffany poked a finger at Sunny's , "I mean, I appreciate a view of your s anytime but, seriously?"

"Well. I'm weird, so are you."

"You just wanna escape the damn cuddling."

Sunny locked eyes with Tiffany as a silent battle raged between them. Tense and cutting looks were exchanged, unspoken arguments going along the lines of "don't ask what you already know and what I won't answer" growled out through eye contact. Neither was willing to let things slide. It was Tiffany's strong personality at work, Sunny knew.

But it was also normal routine for Tiffany to relent despite everything. There was little comfort though, as she sat up straighter to hug Sunny.

"It's been months since then."

"That's why I'm wondering."

"Nothing happened between them," Tiffany stared at the back of Sunny's neck, brown tresses swept over the shoulder presenting Tiffany with an enthralling sight of flawless white skin, "They behave like Yuri didn't confess."

"Precisely. We wouldn't have known if Jessi didn't rant under stress from the stupid rotation you guys have."

"Yep. That rant, though. Scary.”  

"Mmhmm. I was almost frightened by the look in her eyes. I think she's stressed up without you around her. The hospital makes her so uptight. Did they inject her with something weird?"

"Very funny. Bad luck that our rotation starts at different department," Tiffany shrugged, eyes still fixed on that patch of skin.

Sunny nodded, reluctantly dropping her gaze back to the book in hand. The worry and stress was eating her as well. It was her final year in this damn course. There was the bar exams, too. And, she was staring at the fact that she wasn't doing badly enough to fail, yet not good enough to excel either.

Struggles in every form suffocating her. Locked up by the circumstances, everything was a blurry mess.

Sharp pain suddenly coursed through her neck and right into her nerves, jolting her as she let out a short yelp.

"ing hell! You're biting me again?!" Sunny cursed, more out of habit than pain, this was already a common phenomenon, "Give me some warning at least, ."

Sunny felt Tiffany's teeth sinking into her skin, the pain that was so familiar and almost synonymous with the redhead.

"I really have to check if your dorm mate turned you into a vampire."

Seconds later, the teeth left her skin, a chin rested on her shoulder and Sunny heard Tiffany's sigh.

"I need to mark you. I'm scared."

No response. All known words broke free from her.  

That familiar intangible ache resurfaced and Sunny's fingers lingered above the bare waist, soft skin so close to touch. But her brain halted her actions, screaming nothing more. No go. Red light. Because bringing Tiffany into a hug seemed too purposeful. Even just touching her at this very moment seemed too much. She couldn't, not when she was still uncertain about everything in her life.

But as they stilled themselves against time, Sunny heard Tiffany's even breath. Feel it against her. Every single bit of the space was Tiffany.

Breathe. Pause. Breath. Pause. Breathe.

The rhythmic rise and fall of Tiffany's chest against her skin felt like peace. Fears of the future were temporarily obliterated.

"Should I change my hair color too? It's been red for so long."

Hoarse, hazy, sleepy murmurs. Sunny shivered, felt the goosebumps creeping up her skin and held her breath unconsciously. Sometimes, Tiffany would have this effect on her. Sometimes. Many times.

"No, keep it. I like it."

Gentle brushes across Sunny's cheeks, turned into caresses as Tiffany leaned into her.

"If you say so. As long as you say so."

Sunny nodded, cautiously slipping her hand around Tiffany's waist. Wrong and selfish, she knew that. But T