Bodies warm against each other, Momo listens to the faint chirping of birds coming from outside as she wakes from a good sleep. The first thing she feels is Dahyun's leg that is swung on top of her. She smiles before she even flutters her eyes open to see her partner.
Dahyun looks gorgeous and that is no surprise for Momo. Fast asleep and bathed in the warm glow of morning. They definitely made use of the fact that they went to bed early the night prior, but they still seem to have slept a little longer than usual. After intimate nights, neither of them bothers to put on clothes and Momo is more than happy for that. It allows her to ever so lightly run her fingers up and down Dahyun's side like she is doing now, from shoulder to waist and from the thigh that lays on her lap down to her leg.
Dahyun mumbles something but remains asleep, only tightening her grip around Momo's waist out of habit. It makes Momo smile again, the happiness on her face getting hidden by brown hair as she leaves a kiss on top of Dahyun's head.
Her hands keep tracing patterns onto Dahyun's skin and she closes her eyes too. Slowly so as to not bother her, Momo's fingers move up her thigh in small circles. They go up and up until they brush against the faintest hint of raised skin.
Frowning slightly, Momo opens her eyes again. She looks down at the scar that is on her partner's thigh, then up towards her hips. It isn't the first time she sees these markings, but it always breaks her heart like the first time. Momo had thought that they were simply stretch marks. But a better look throughout time allowed her to notice the silvery lines and their slightly darker edges, fading out into the pale skin. They are almost aligned side by side, only a few jagged lines breaking formation.
She never asked about it, though. She has figured on her own what they could be. They are far too many and far too intentionally placed to be from any sort of accident.
Momo traces the marks lightly, her finger brushing over a particularly long line that goes from hip bone down to the highest point of her thigh. Her focus doesn't let her notice Dahyun stirring in her arms with a mumble. She actually only realizes it when Dahyun moves again, though not from sleep but rather from a moment of tension and held breath. But just as soon, her body relaxes again. She mutters something that is completely incoherent as she lazily drags her lips to Momo's neck. She leaves a lingering kiss there.
"Goodmorning," Momo says, her voice rough from sleep. She shifts her hand, laying it on Dahyun's hip but still rubbing the skin gently with her thumb. "Slept well?"
Dahyun hums against her neck, the content sigh being enough as a reply. Her own hand moves from Momo's waist over abs that she has admired countless times. Then she reaches up and cups Momo's face, just staying like that for more contact. Momo happily leans into the touch, though her focus is still on the faint lines under her palm.
Should she even say anything about it? Dahyun never seems to make an effort to hide them, at least not from her. She also doesn't seem bothered by her touch, instead she sometimes asks Momo to touch her for longer. Maybe they are from some childhood accident and Momo is actually just overthinking it. Maybe she shouldn't ask. But an overwhelming need to know is constantly in her mind with an equally overwhelming wish to not overstep some kind of boundary.
"Can I ask you something?" It's a little more than a hesitant whisper against Dahyun's messy hair, but Momo has no doubt that it is heard.
Dahyun stirs again, putting just the minimum necessary distance between their faces to look up at Momo. She takes in the girl's blank face. Then, her gaze moves down to where Momo's hand is resting.
"They're old," she sighs. "Don't worry about it."
That doesn't answer the questions in Momo's mind at all, especially not with the way Dahyun's voice has taken a slightly defensive tone. "I'm sorry, I didn't wanna pry."
Dahyun frowns while her eyes follow Momo's hand. It moves away from the scars and down her thigh, settling just above her knee. Momo is serious in not wanting to pry, ready to drop the subject just as quickly as she pitched it. The lack of pressure and conflicts in their relationship makes Dahyun feel so safe, so loved.
"No it's fine," she says, grabbing Momo's hand and clumsily guiding it back to where it was. "I'm just over it so I don't want you to worry."
It's now Momo's turn to frown as she tentatively picks up the previous gentle strokes. Though her expression goes unseen by Dahyun because she leans her head back against Momo's chest.
"I don't know..." Dahyun starts, moving her free hand around, an emphasis of the mild frustration and early morning grogginess. "Go on, ask why would I do such a thing. It's a good question because I also don't know. It's just frustrating that it won't ever go away."
Her small rant is interrupted by a grimace as she, suddenly a bit restless, shifts onto her elbow. She starts to trace Momo's collarbone as she sighs and the little edge of frustration in her voice trickles out with it.
"I used to get bullied in high school. I was stupid and let my anger out on myself instead of getting help. I know, it's dumb."
She isn't looking Momo in the eyes, not seeing the worry but also the overflowing affection in her gaze. Momo moves her hand, running her fingers through Dahyun's hair where it is sticking out at odd angles. Then, it settles on the girl's jaw, warm and welcoming.
"That's not dumb, baby," Momo says, hoping the gentle tone is enough to combat the grimace on Dahyun's face. "Besides, that's not what I was gonna ask."
At that, Dahyun raises her eyebrows, finally meeting Momo's eyes. "No?"
"No," Momo shakes her head. It isn't that she doesn't want to know, but she is aware of how unnecessary asking can be.
"Then what?" Dahyun asks tentatively.
"Just," she smiles hesitantly, suddenly unsure of herself. "If you wanted to talk about it."
Dahyun blinks a few times. "Oh."
The ever so moving answer makes Momo's smile widen a tad with affection. She lets a finger trail over a high cheekbone and she leans in to plant a kiss on the girl's forehead. "You don't have to, but I'm here for you if you need anything, even if they're old."
Momo is aware that while old scars no longer hurt, they often leave behind a different kind of pain that is so easy to ignore, but also easy to push to the surface. Memories and stories that have long passed but never really faded.
She watches Dahyun settle back against her, a slight frown still in place. Momo obviously isn't going to push, also content to go back to cuddling and basking in each other's warmth. But the way Dahyun is lightly drumming her fingers against her chest shows that Dahyun is thinking.
"You're actually the only one who's seen them," Dahyun eventually says.
When she doesn't elaborate further, Momo looks down at her, her vision being mostly overtaken by hair. "I am?"
"Don't be silly, of course you are. Only you have seen me naked." Her voice trails off by the end of her sentence, suddenly getting shy.
"I'm happy to be that person, then," Momo says, her arm that Dahyun is leaning on tightening around Dahyun's body.
They've always been aware of this level of understanding between them, even when they met the first time as trainees and went through a series of stressful tests. That is why Dahyun never really felt the need to hide her scars from the girl. Momo always simply runs her fingers over every inch of her, nothing but love and affection behind her touch, and Dahyun makes sure to always return the kind gesture in some kind of way.
