Rhea breaks first.
"I knew what I was supposed to do," Rhea continues. "I knew what Mom wanted. I even told myself I wanted revenge too." A bitter smile. "But when you walked away, it felt like the ground disappeared. I thought I'd pushed you too far. I thought you were really gone."
Ling exhales slowly, her chin resting near Rhea's shoulder.
"And yet," Ling murmurs, "you're still here."
Rhea nods. "Because my feelings were real. Messy. Wrong timing. But real."
Ling's hands shift slightly at Rhea's waist not pulling her closer, just reminding her of their position.
"You're terrible at lying," Ling says softly.
Rhea scoffs. "You noticed now?"
Ling hums, amused. "I noticed before you did."
Rhea tilts her head back a little. "Then why did you leave?"
Ling's fingers pause.
"Because if I stayed," Ling admits, "I would've destroyed everything. Including you."
Rhea turns her head, just enough to look at her. "You already did. A little."
Ling smirks faintly. "You survived."
The teasing edge returns, deliberate.
Ling's fingers trace idle patterns over the fabric near Rhea's stomach slow, absent-minded until they brush the edge of the navel piercing through the cloth.
Rhea stiffens instantly.
"Ling."
Ling notices. Of course she does.
"Oh?" Ling says innocently. "Sensitive?"
"You know I am."
Ling chuckles, low. "I know."
Her fingers circle once, light, testing just enough to make Rhea aware of every breath she's taking.
Rhea grabs Ling's wrist. "You're doing this on purpose."
Ling leans in, voice near her ear. "Everything I do with you is on purpose."
Rhea swallows, then forces herself to tease back. "You apologized five minutes ago."
Ling smiles. "And now I'm flirting. Multitasking."
She taps the piercing once, playful.
Rhea shivers despite herself, then laughs quietly. "You're impossible."
Ling tightens her hold just a fraction. "And you're still sitting here."
Rhea relaxes back against her, defeated, smiling.
Ling's teasing finally stills.
Her fingers hover at Rhea's waist, hesitant now, eyes searching her face.
"Does it still hurt?" Ling asks quietly.
Rhea blinks, surprised by the softness. Then she shakes her head.
"No."
Ling doesn't look convinced.
Rhea sighs, then does something bold she lifts her shirt just enough to show her stomach, the navel piercing catching the low light.
"See?" she says, a little shy but steady. "All okay."
Ling's breath stutters.
Relief.
She looked, memorizing proof that Rhea is fine, alive, not bleeding, not broken because of her.
"Idiot," Ling murmurs, not unkindly. "You never tell me when you're hurting."
Rhea lowers her shirt. "You don't always listen."
Ling snorts softly. "Fair."
Then, without warning, Ling shifts.
She scoops Rhea up easily, like she weighs nothing sudden, decisive. Rhea yelps in surprise.
"Ling—!"
Ling settles back against the headboard, pulling Rhea with her, tucking her in close like a child being claimed for safety rather than control.
Rhea ends up curled against Ling's chest, head under her chin, Ling's arm wrapped fully around her.
"Stay," Ling says simply.
Rhea goes still, then relaxes, melting into the hold.
"You're treating me like I'm fragile," Rhea mutters.
Ling presses her lips briefly to Rhea's head.
"You are," she replies. "Just not weak."
Rhea smiles despite herself, fingers gripping Ling's sleeve.
Outside, the mansion sleeps.
Inside, Ling holds on not teasing, not punishing.
Just making sure Rhea doesn't slip away again.
Curled in Ling's arms, Rhea exhales, calmer now.
"Let's call Shyra," she says suddenly.
Ling raises an eyebrow. "Why?"
Rhea smiles to herself. "Because she's been waiting."
Before Ling can comment, Rhea grabs her phone and dials. It rings once, twice.
Shyra answers immediately.
"Rhea?"
Rhea grins. "Ling's here."
A sharp pause. Then—
"Oh?" Shyra's voice turns delighted. "So the ice queen finally crawled back. Let me guess through a window?"
Ling leans closer, offended. "I did not crawl."
Rhea laughs softly. "We… talked. We're okay."
Shyra gasps theatrically. "So Miss Damn Hot is back?"
Rhea groans. "Sherru—"
Ling doesn't wait.
She leans in like a child invading a secret, pressing her cheek against Rhea's, her voice slipping smoothly into the call.
"Yes," Ling says calmly. "Future sister-in-law."
Rhea's eyes widen. "Ling!"
Shyra squeals on the other end. "I KNEW IT."
Rhea tries to angle the phone away. "Stop encouraging her!"
Ling wraps one arm tighter around Rhea, pinning her gently, and speaks directly into the phone again.
"She missed me," Ling adds smugly.
"I did not—"
Shyra laughs. "She missed you. You terrified her. Congratulations."
Ling smirks, brushing her nose against Rhea's temple. "Good."
Rhea huffs, flustered, trying to pull the phone back. "You're impossible. Give it back."
Ling ignores her, chin resting on Rhea's shoulder now.
"She's safe," Ling says to Shyra, quieter. "I've got her."
There's a brief silence on the line then Shyra softens.
"Good," she replies. "Take care of her."
Ling hums in agreement.
Rhea finally manages to end the call, tossing the phone aside.
"You hijacked my conversation," she accuses.
Ling smiles, unapologetic, tightening her hold.
"You invited me into it."
Rhea shakes her head, but she's smiling.
Ling doesn't let go and, Rhea doesn't want her to.
Ling's chin rested lightly on Rhea's head. Her fingers traced slow, absent lines along Rhea's arm not teasing now, just present. Rhea breathed more evenly, lulled into a fragile sense of safety.
"Tomorrow," Ling said calmly, as if stating a fact, "we bathe together."
Rhea stiffened instantly.
"What?" she asked, too quick.
Ling hummed. "You promised."
"I did not promise," Rhea said, already trying to sit up. "I said maybe. And that was before—" She waved a hand vaguely. "Everything."
Ling didn't let her move.
Her arm tightened, not painfully, just enough to stop Rhea from escaping her chest. Ling tilted her head slightly, eyes narrowed with quiet amusement.
"You promised," she repeated.
Rhea laughed nervously, trying to shrug it off. "Ling, don't start. We were talking about Shyra, remember? She's going to be unbearable after tonight."
Ling ignored the attempt completely.
"You said," Ling continued, voice low and deliberate, "Friday night, hidden. Saturday, Sunday. No running. And a bath."
Rhea groaned. "You remember the worst details."
"I remember what matters."
Rhea tried again, softer this time. "Can we not plan things like that right now? Everything's still… messy."
Ling shifted, turning Rhea slightly so she could see her face. Not fully just enough.
"That's exactly why," Ling said.
Rhea frowned. "Why?"
"So you don't disappear again," Ling replied evenly.
The words landed heavier than the teasing before them.
Rhea went quiet.
Ling's hand slid to Rhea's waist, thumb pressing there, grounding her.
"I'm not asking," Ling added. "I'm reminding you."
Rhea swallowed. "You're impossible."
Ling's lips curved faintly. "And you're avoiding."
Rhea sighed, defeated, letting her head fall back against Ling's shoulder again. "You don't let anything go, do you?"
"No," Ling said simply. "Especially not you."
There was a pause.
Rhea muttered, "You're too confident for someone who climbed through a window."
Ling smiled against her hair. "And you're too comfortable for someone who claims she's changing the topic."
Rhea shook her head, half-laughing now. "Fine. We'll… talk about it tomorrow."
Ling's fingers tightened once, possessive, satisfied.
"Good," she said. "Because I don't forget promises."
Rhea didn't argue again.
She just stayed where she was, surrounded, knowing full well that Ling meant every word and that tomorrow was already claimed.
——
Morning crept in quietly, pale light slipping through the curtains and settling over the room.
Rhea woke first.
For a moment, she didn't move. Ling's arm was draped securely around her waist, her grip relaxed but certain even in sleep. Rhea listened to her breathing, slow and steady, felt the warmth at her back, and allowed herself a few seconds of peace she hadn't felt in a long time.
Carefully, Rhea leaned forward just enough to turn her head.
She pressed a soft kiss to Ling's neck barely there, meant not to wake her. Just gratitude. Just affection.
She was already shifting to slip away when—
Ling's eyes opened.
Too sharp. Too aware.
Before Rhea could react, Ling moved.
In one smooth motion, she rolled them, pinning Rhea beneath her, hands planted on either side of her head. The mattress dipped under Ling's weight. Rhea gasped, caught completely off guard.
"Ling—!"
Ling looked down at her, eyes bright with satisfaction.
"Running already?" she asked lazily.
"I was not running," Rhea protested, trying to wriggle free.
Ling leaned closer, blocking her escape entirely.
"You slept horribly," Ling said, dead serious.
Rhea blinked. "What?"
"You kicked me all night," Ling continued calmly. "Like a child having a nightmare."
"That's not true."
Ling nodded solemnly. "Very true."
"I barely move when I sleep."
Ling raised an eyebrow. "You tried to push me off the bed."
Rhea scoffed. "I did not."
"And," Ling added, clearly enjoying herself now, "you muttered my name. Repeatedly."
Rhea froze. "You're lying."
Ling smirked. "See? Kicking. Denial. Classic."
Rhea tried to shove her. "Get off me."
Ling didn't move an inch. Instead, she lowered herself just enough to hover close, her weight still pinning Rhea securely.
"You exaggerate everything," Rhea accused.
Ling tilted her head. "I exaggerate nothing. You're dramatic in your sleep."
"That's rich, coming from you."
Ling's smile widened.
"I tolerated it," she said magnanimously. "Because I'm generous."
Rhea rolled her eyes, cheeks warm. "You're unbearable."
Ling leaned in slightly, voice dropping. "And yet I'm your first kiss."
Rhea opened her mouth to argue then closed it.
Ling noticed.
She laughed softly.
"Next time," Ling murmured, "don't try to escape. Just wake me properly."
Rhea crossed her arms beneath her, stubborn. "You're impossible."
Ling nodded, completely unbothered.
"And you're still pinned," she said. "Good morning."
Rhea sighed.
Ling stayed above her, unhurried, watching Rhea's expression shift between annoyance and embarrassment.
Her fingers moved first.
Ling traced the small mole near Rhea's collarbone slowly, deliberately, like she had all the time in the world.
"You even muttered in your sleep," Ling said casually. "You said, Ling, kiss me."
Rhea's eyes widened. "I did not."
Ling nodded, serious. "You did."
"That's impossible," Rhea shot back. "I would remember saying something that humiliating."
Ling leaned closer, her thumb still circling the mole.
"I didn't," Ling added calmly. "I don't take advantage of sleeping people."
Rhea scoffed loudly. "Oh please. Don't act like a saint."
Ling raised an eyebrow. "You doubt my morals?"
"I doubt your honesty," Rhea said flatly. "And I know for a fact I didn't say that."
Ling smiled slow, knowing, clearly enjoying herself far too much.
"You also kicked me," Ling continued. "And pulled my sleeve. And frowned like you were mad at me."
"You're lying," Rhea said, though her voice wavered.
Ling shrugged. "Sleep reveals the truth."
Rhea crossed her arms defensively beneath Ling. "If I said anything, it was probably 'go away.'"
Ling leaned down just enough for her breath to brush Rhea's skin.
"No," Ling said softly. "It wasn't."
Rhea glared up at her. "You're making this up."
Ling tilted her head, pretending to think. "Maybe."
Rhea narrowed her eyes. "You are."
Ling's smile turned playful, unmistakably guilty now.
"I am," she admitted lightly. "But you look cute when you're flustered."
Rhea tried to push her again. "You're horrible."
Ling caught her wrists easily, pinning them above her head — not tight, just enough to stop her.
"And you're still here," Ling replied. "Still listening."
Rhea looked away, cheeks warm. "Let me go."
Ling traced the mole once more, gentler this time.
"In a minute," she said. "I'm enjoying my lies."
Rhea huffed, defeated but smiling despite herself.
"You're impossible," she muttered.
Ling leaned down, stopping just short of a kiss.
"I know," she whispered.
She bent down again, slower this time, and pressed a kiss to the mole she'd been tracing all along. Then another. Her lips lingered just a second longer than necessary, teeth grazing skin lightly not enough to hurt, just enough to leave intent behind. She sucked skin there to leave a mark.
Rhea sucked in a sharp breath.
"Ling—"