Home; I Found With You // Ryeji FF

try again?

She didn't remember how she got from the car into the bedroom but she had a vague idea. Over the past few days, she had felt a warmth blossoming within her, spreading from her stomach to her chest. It pulsed through her veins, each heartbeat calling out to someone.

Each night, she would instinctively turn to her side just to steal a glance at the woman in the adjacent bed, even though the pain of her healing wound shot up her ribs. An uncontrollable smile tugged at her lips, leaving her cheeks sore from the sheer joy of seeing the younger woman sleeping peacefully. Her mouth was slightly ajar, allowing a soft hum to escape from her dry yet gentle lips.

During their waking hours, their interactions were rather pleasant, to say the least. They avoided delving into their past argument or the encounter with the cult, instead keeping themselves busy with chores and supply runs. Typically, they paired off—Yeji with Chaeryeong or Yuna with Ryujin. This wasn't a conscious decision; it simply depended on who felt up to the task at the time.

They also have gotten back to their usual banter, poking lighthearted fun at each other. Occasionally, they found themselves working side by side in the garage. Chaeryeong had given Yeji a crash course on cleaning weapons—guns, blades, loading magazines—covering everything Seulgi had taught her.

Yeji had a natural aptitude for memorizing skills, a trait developed from an early age; she had learned music as a toddler. However, whenever she brought the guns near Ryujin's workbench, she would "pretend" to struggle to disassemble a gun or sharpen a knife. She understood it wasn't exactly in line with feminist ideals to act helpless, but if it meant spending more time interacting with Ryujin, she was willing to play the damsel in distress.

Ryujin would steal glances from the corner of her eye, observing Yeji's struggles with the gun barrel or the grimace of pain when she ran the knife along the sharpening stone. In the past, she would have intervened at the first sign of Yeji's discomfort, but now, she hesitated.

Her mind was plagued with flashbacks from their argument. Yeji was a strong, independent woman, and Ryujin feared that offering help would only reinforce the notion that she underestimated her.

Lost in contemplation, Ryujin was abruptly jolted back to reality by an aggressive nudge from someone passing by. She snapped her head towards the figure at the door.

Yuna narrowed her eyes at Ryujin, gesturing towards Yeji with a silent "fucking help her" expression. With a heavy sigh, Ryujin watched as the soldier left before turning her attention to Yeji.

"Need help?"

"Huh?" Yeji replied instinctively, pausing her movements on sharpening the blade and turning to look at Ryujin.

Ryujin took a step closer, leaning in slightly. "Do you need help?"

The huskiness in her voice sent shivers down Yeji's spine, mingling with the faint scent of cigarettes on her breath.

Why didn't she invite me to smoke with her?

"Y-yeah?" Yeji stuttered, her tone betraying her nerves.

The younger woman was caught off guard by the stutter and quickly straightened herself, feeling a rush of internal (not so internal gay) panic. She let out a strange chuckle, gesturing towards Yeji's hands.

"Do you want me to?"

"I said yeah?"

Ryujin rubbed her hand on her neck, offering a sheepish smile. "Oh, right, yeah. Let me just... uh... give it to me."

Never before had Yeji felt so starstruck in the presence of another woman. It was as if her lungs were filled with helium, making her feel weightless, while her skin tingled with an overwhelming urge to draw closer to Ryujin.