Best For Me

Chapter 9

"I still think you should go to the hospital," Yeji grumbled.

Her arm was tight around Lia's waist as she helped the blonde through the front door. Lia could walk just fine but Yeji was refusing to go anywhere. Her face said it all: she was damn worried and wasn't going to let go of her friend until she was safely tucked up in bed, preferably after she'd seen a doctor.

"I'm FINE, Yeji. I feel just fine. It was a little warm and I fainted was all," Lia protested, trying not to let the insistent worry in her mind seep through into her tone. She'd never fainted before in her life. It was a very un-Lia-like thing to do, but she'd be damned if she was going to tell Yeji that.

"Okay, but I'm putting you to bed and I'm not going home tonight. I can sleep on the couch," Yeji parried defiantly.

"You don't have to stay!" Lia replied. "But, if you do, you're not staying on the damn couch. I have a spare room."

"Oh... yeah." Yeji grinned at her own silliness.

"You're such a dweeb sometimes." Lia withdrew from the arm around her waist and sat on the couch. She'd enjoyed the closeness, but had to admit that her head was still swimming somewhat and her enjoyment of teh contact had been tempered by her actual need for support. "You don't have to stay, though. I really will be fine. I am fine!"

"It's okay. I just want to make sure you're not going to faint again in the morning."

"Why would I?" Lia smiled at her friend's worry. "It was a one-off, Yeji, I swear. It was just warm with all those people. I've never done it before. It won't happen again."

When the look of panic flashed across Yeji's face, Lia realised that she had let the cat out of the bag.

"You've never fainted before?"

"Um... not as such." Lia grabbed a pillow and hugged it to her chest. It was an unconscious gesture that she repeated a lot. It was times like these that she wished Mr Ruffles was around; he was always good for a hug. "It's fine, Yeji. Honest. I feel just fine. Lots of people faint. It's no big deal."

The brunette did not look convinced. "I'm staying." She emphasized every syllable and Lia didn't have the energy to argue.

"Okay." She glanced at her watch. "I think it might be time for bed, then."

She ignored the quickening of her pulse at the thought of Yeji and bed, and left to find the girl all the necessary things she might need. The musician insisted on walking her to her room and making sure she was safely inside.

Lia was glad that she didn't insist on tucking her into bed. Swimming head or no swimming head, had she stayed any longer, the blonde knew that Yeji wouldn't be in the spare room. She was feeling woozy and in no way to be strong in her resolve. But Yeji left her at the door.

Despite everything that had gone on, she slept easily. Maybe that should have worried her more.

Yeji was already up and about when Lia emerged from her cocoon of sleep. Running a brush through her hair and another across her teeth before she made her way into the living room, Lia mused over her actions.

There wasn't a snowball's chance in hell that she'd greet the sexy brunette with morning breath, despite their 'friend' status. Said brunette was sitting at the table with her back to the blonde, reading the paper and drinking a cup of coffee. For Lia, who had just escaped domesticity in its worst form, it was such a beautiful scene that it made her stomach rumble.

"Morning," she breathed, pretending that she hadn't been standing in the doorway watching Yeji for the last few minutes.

"Hey." Yeji turned with a smile. "How are you feeling?"